Hi Joshua,
It sounds as though you're in a serious and committed relationship, congrats on that.
Why not take a trip together to get tested for STD's and AIDS? Once you two have the green light, there are a ton of birth control methods available to the two of you such as the pill, IUDs, the patch, etc.
I would recommend birth control pills because of the health benefits for your girlfriend.
Most women are aware that the pill will produce more regular and predictable cycles, but there is much more. It can also reduce the pain associated with periods, and it can reduce the total number of days of menstrual flow. Less days of bleeding leads to less chance of anemia, which is another important health benefit.
As far as the prevention of benign conditions, the pill can decrease problems related to breast disorders such as fibrocystic changes and fibroadenomas. In addition, it decreases a woman?s chance of developing certain pelvic infections, and it decreases the occurrence of ectopic, or tubal, pregnancy. There are also certain formulations of the pill that have been shown to improve acne.
Probably one of the most exciting health benefits of the pill is that its use can dramatically reduce a woman?s chance of ever getting certain types of cancer. Women who use the pill for 3-4 years can decrease their chance of ovarian cancer by 50%, and if they have used the pill for at least 10 years an 80% reduction is seen, truly amazing. Also, use of the pill for at least 2 years reduces the risk of endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterine lining) by 40%, and 4 or more years of use reduces this risk by 60%.
There is evidence that use of the pill could prevent certain ovarian cysts from forming. It also has the potential to increase the strength of your bones, and possibly could even prevent rheumatoid arthritis, although these areas are still under investigation.
And besides, natural sex is amazing. But knowing you can share it together is even more amazing. Just to be safe, my boyfriend and I went together back in December and it's a huge relief to not have to worry about anything.
Good luck with your anti-latex mission!