The morning-after pill or emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) is approximately 85% effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy and is more effective the sooner it is taken. Read more: How Effective Is the Morning-After Pill? Article
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
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Choosing Your Birth Control Method
Which birth control option is right for you? Discover birth control methods such as birth control pills, birth control shot,...
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Birth Control Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
What is the best form of birth control? Take this quiz to find out about hormonal, surgical, barrier, and natural methods!
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Sexual Health: The History of Birth Control
They put what where? From chastity belts to soda pop, women used some downright bizarre contraception through the ages. Check out...
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Sexual Health: Other Reasons to Use Birth Control
Yes, birth control pills can help prevent pregnancy. They can also treat a variety of hormone-related issues, and they offer...
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What Are The Side Effects of Birth Control?
Used correctly, birth control can be both safe and effective. But depending on which method you use, there could be some side...
QUESTION
Which of the following are methods for contraception? See AnswerRelated Disease Conditions
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Birth Control Options
Birth control is available in a variety of methods and types. The method of birth control varies from person to person, and their preferences to either become pregnant or not. Examples of barrier methods include barrier methods (sponge, spermicides, condoms), hormonal methods (pill, patch), surgical sterilization (tubal ligation, vasectomy), natural methods, and the morning-after pill. Side effects and risks of each birth control option should be reviewed before using any birth control method.
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Why Did I Miss My Period on Birth Control?
Missed periods on birth control are a common issue that affects many women. Learn why you missed your period on birth control, how your doctor will diagnose why, and how you can treat your missed period.
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Which Birth Control Has Least Side Effects?
No form of birth control is free of side effects, but there are some that have the least noticeable ones.
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DVT and Birth Control Pills (Oral Contraceptives)
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that has traveled deep into the veins of the arm, pelvis, or lower extremities. Oral contraceptives or birth control pills can slightly increase a woman's risk for developing blood clots, including DVT. DVT symptoms and signs in the leg include leg or calf pain, redness, swelling, warmth, or leg cramps, and skin discoloration. If a blood clot in the leg is not treated, it can travel to the lungs, which can cause a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung) or post-thrombotic syndrome, both of which can be fatal if not treated immediately. Increased risk factors for DVT and birth control pills include over 40 years of age, family history, smoking, and obesity. Other medical problems that increase the risks of blood clots, for example, lung or heart disease, or inflammatory bowel disease or IBD (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). Other options for preventing pregnancy include IUDs, birth control shots, condoms, diaphragms, and progestin-only oral contraceptives.
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What Does Birth Control Do to Your Body?
Different birth control methods work in different manners. No birth control method is perfect and every procedure or method has a side effect.
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What Is the Best Form of Birth Control?
What's "best" among birth control methods differs from person to person. What's right for one person may not be right for others. And a person’s needs may also change over time.
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