Contraception Methods

Written by Charlotte Wood (last updated March 18, 2009)

Families are vastly different from how they used to be one hundred years ago; relations between husband and wife are vastly different as well. Because of a lack of access to birth control methods, most couples' only way to monitor how many children (or pregnancies) they had was to abstain from sexual relations. Fortunately, there are forms of contraception that can better monitor and control when a woman can get pregnant. If you are looking for a type of birth control, you need to know what options are available. There are several types of birth control, and each has its pros and cons—you just need to figure out what is best for you and your partner.

Probably the most common form of birth control is "the pill." The birth control pill is taken by women and releases excess estrogen into the woman's body. The extra estrogen fools the body into thinking that the woman is pregnant; thus, the ovaries don't release any eggs. A woman who is on the pill has her period when she's on the placebo birth control pills, which are taken to simply allow for healthy menstruation.

Other common methods of contraception include what is called barrier methods. Barrier methods work to prevent the sperm from entering the woman's vagina. The most common barrier method is the male condom, but there are also other barrier methods for females. The female condom works to keep semen out as well. There are also cervical barriers available that are implanted inside the woman. Cervical barriers include the contraceptive sponge, the cervical cap (the smallest cervical barrier), and the diaphragm. Spermicide can be used as a chemical barrier contraceptive.

There are also forms of hormonal contraception. (Hormonal contraception includes the birth control pill.) Other types of hormonal contraception are the birth control patch and the vaginal ring. There are also injections available for contraception; injections aren't usually available in the US, but can be administered in Europe. Intrauterine contraception is contraception placed inside of the uterus. Intrauterine devices are T-shaped to keep it in place inside the uterus. The device then periodically secretes birth control hormones.

There is no one sure contraceptive for everyone—contraception is very personal and should be decided on very carefully and methodically. Some contraceptives require daily administration for effectiveness, some need to be used only when the people are going to have sexual intercourse, and some need to be implanted and checked on only every once in a while. Do your research, talk to your doctor, and make sure that you and your partner choose the best birth control for you both.

Author Bio

Charlotte Wood

MORE FROM CHARLOTTE

Best Tips for Thick Legs

Thick legs are a hard physical attribute to work with many times and you still want to look great. Thick legs though ...

Discover More

Removing Nose Hair

Nose hair is never attractive, and if you have it, I'm sure you want to get rid of it. Here are a few tips for you on ...

Discover More

Reading an Amortization Schedule

Amortization schedules may be daunting to think about, especially when you realize it deals with mortgages and interest ...

Discover More
More Health Tips

Reversing a Tubal Ligation

For women who have had their tubes "tied" with a tubal ligation there are usually only a couple of options if they decide ...

Discover More

Male Contraceptives

You may usually think that contraception is for women, but is can also be for men. Here are some male contraception ...

Discover More

How the Pill Works

You often hear about the "pill," but you may not know exactly what it is or how it works. If you're needing more info ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is nine more than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)