1 of 9 / Overview
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What to Consider When Choosing Birth Control
The best birth control is the method you’re most likely to use. Here are some other things to consider as you decide.
How and Where to Get Birth Control
You’ve got lots of birth control options. Here’s how to get them, and what to do if costs get in the way.
Birth Control: How to Talk to Your OB/GYN
If you plan to use birth control other than condoms, you'll need to see a doctor. First, you need to start the conversation.
How to Talk to Your Partner About Birth Control
Birth control can be an awkward topic. But it’s an important heart-to-heart talk to have before sex with your partner.
2 of 9 / Types
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Birth Control: What Type Is Right for You?
You have a lot of choices for birth control, from condoms to caps to pills. Find one that you're confident with.
How Effective Are Different Types of Birth Control?
The effectiveness of some birth control methods depends in part on how carefully you use them.
Nonhormonal Birth Control
Nonhormonal birth control is any method that doesn’t affect women’s hormones. But they might not be ideal for some people.
Best Birth Control for STI and Pregnancy Prevention
If your goal is to prevent both pregnancy and STIs, there are only a few ways to make that happen.
3 of 9 / Hormonal Methods
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Birth Control Pills
There are many different methods of birth control, including hormonal contraception such as "the pill."
What Is the Minipill?
The minipill is a type of birth control made with progestin, an artificial form of progesterone that your body makes.
What Is Extended-Use Birth Control?
There are 91-day oral contraceptive programs that promise to prevent pregnancy and let you have fewer periods each year.
Do Birth Control Pills Cause Nausea?
Estrogen may be to blame for the queasiness and dizziness you feel after you take a birth control pill.
4 of 9 / Barrier Methods
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Condoms
A condom is a thin, fitted tube worn over the penis during sex or inserted into the vagina before sex (female condoms).
Does Condom Size Matter?
Getting your condom to feel right can be tricky. If it’s not comfortable, it can cause you to stop wearing them.
What to Know About a Broken Condom
Sometimes a condom may break, exposing you to the risk of getting STDs or the chance of becoming pregnant.
Female Condoms: Effectiveness and Benefits
A female condom is one type of barrier method that prevents pregnancy and can help keep you safe from STDs.
5 of 9 / Behavioral Methods
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'Natural' Birth Control: What to Know
Looking for a more natural birth control method? You’ll want to know your options, what’s involved, and the drawbacks.
Pull Out Method (Withdrawal)
The pull-out method is a form of birth control in which a man takes their penis out of a woman's vagina before ejaculation.
What Is the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of Birth Control?
The lactational amenorrhea method is a type of birth control that relies on hormones your body makes while breastfeeding.
6 of 9 / Medical Methods
View AllBirth Control and Sterilization
Birth control, like sterilization, is a way for men and women to prevent pregnancy.
What Is Tubal Ligation?
Tubal ligation is surgery women can get to "tie” their fallopian tubes. It’s a type of female sterilization.
Pregnancy After Tubal Ligation: Can It Happen?
Tubal ligation is considered permanent, but there are exceptions. Pregnancy – intended and unintended – is still possible.
7 of 9 / Male Birth Control
View AllMale Birth Control Options
When you think about birth control, you probably think about the pill for women. Men have options to avoid pregnancy, too.
Vasectomy
A vasectomy is a small operation to prevent pregnancy. It blocks sperm from getting to your semen when you ejaculate.
What Is a No-Scalpel Vasectomy?
The no-scalpel vasectomy is less invasive than the standard procedure and has a shorter recovery time.
11-Beta-MNTDC: “The Pill” for Men
Over 60 years after women got access to a pill to prevent pregnancy, research is still ongoing to make an option for men.
8 of 9 / Emergency Contraception
View AllEmergency Contraception FAQ
Like other forms of birth control, emergency contraception prevents pregnancy. The difference is that you take it after sex.
Emergency Contraception: What to Expect
If you're thinking about using emergency contraception, you may wonder: What will I feel like afterward?
Levonorgestrel Emergency Contraception
Levonorgestrel is an emergency contraceptive pill taken by mouth after unprotected sex. It’s used to prevent pregnancy.
9 of 9 / Side Effects & Complications
View AllBirth Control Side Effects and Risks
It’s important to consider the benefits and the side effects and risks you might have in choosing a form of birth control.
Birth Control and Spotting: What to Know
Breakthrough bleeding is a common side effect of hormonal contraceptive use.
Birth Control and Breast Size
When you start using hormonal birth control, your breasts might feel swollen or look bigger. This is usually temporary.
How Hormonal Birth Control Can Affect Your Mood
Could hormonal contraceptives trigger emotional swings? Or might they do the reverse and actually improve your moods?
Suggested Reads about Birth Control
IUD: What I Wish I Knew
Does getting an IUD hurt? Will my periods change? What type of IUD is best? Learn what women wish they had known before they got an IUD.
10 Things to Know About Birth Control If You’re Transgender or Nonbinary
Find out what to know about taking birth control if you’re transgender or nonbinary.
His Turn: 8 Options in the Pipeline for Male Birth Control
Find out what you need to know about new research on male birth control. Learn about the effectiveness, safety concerns, and risks.
Your Birth Control Options
See the mechanics, side effects, and failure rates for common birth control methods in this illustrated slideshow from WebMD's medical editors. Withdrawal, hormones, the IUD, and many more are explained with pictures.
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