1. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Quiz on STDs
3. A Visual Guide to Erectile Dysfunction

In this Article

• Menstruation and menopause
• Pregnancy and preconception care
• Fertility/Infertility
• Contraception
• Sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS/HIV
• Reproductive Health Index

Contraception, also known as birth control, is designed to prevent pregnancy. Some types of birth control include (but are not limited to):

• Barrier methods, such as condoms, the diaphragm, and the cervical cap, are designed to prevent the sperm from reaching the egg for fertilization.
  
  
• Intrauterine device, or IUD, is a small device that is inserted into the uterus by a health care provider. The IUD prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. An IUD can stay in the uterus for up to 10 years until it is removed by a health care provider.
  
  
• Hormonal birth control, such as birth control pills, injections, skin patches, and vaginal rings, release hormones into a woman's body that interfere with fertility by preventing ovulation, fertilization, or implantation.
  
  
• Sterilization is a method that permanently prevents a woman from getting pregnant or a man from being able to get a woman pregnant. Sterilization involves surgical procedures that must be done by a health care provider and usually cannot be reversed.

The choice of birth control depends on factors such as a person's overall health, age, frequency of sexual activity, number of sexual partners, desire to have children in the future, and family history of certain diseases. A woman should talk to her health care provider about her choice of birth control method.