Emergency Contraception
When would I need to use emergency contraception? Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after you’ve had sex without birth control or after your birth control
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Birth Control Pills
What’s so great about the Pill? Birth control pills (also called oral contraceptives or simply “the Pill”) are one of the most popular methods of
Breastfeeding as Birth Control (LAM)
Overview: Effectiveness: 98 percent (over six months) Cost: Free Protection against STDs: No Breast milk is the best food for babies. It provides nutrition, strengthens
Cervical Cap
What’s a cervical cap? A cervical cap is the modern version of an ancient contraceptive technique. Through the centuries, women have used everything from beeswax
Contraceptive Patch (Ortho Evra)
What is a contraceptive patch? The Ortho Vera patch is a reversible method of birth control that delivers the same hormones as the pill. It’s
Contraceptive Ring (NuvaRing)
What is the ring? The ring is a reversible method of birth control that delivers a mix of estrogen and progestin just like a birth
Diaphragm
What’s a diaphragm? A diaphragm is a shallow dome-shaped rubber cup that you insert into your vagina to keep sperm from entering your cervix. If
Female Condoms
What’s a female condom? A female condom is a thin polyurethane pouch that you insert into your vagina before sex to prevent pregnancy and guard
IUD FAQ
What’s an intrauterine device? The intrauterine device, or IUD, is a T-shaped plastic stick that’s wrapped in copper or filled with a synthetic form of
Natural Family Planning
What’s natural family planning? The name refers to a variety of methods for predicting the fertile days during a woman’s cycle. These techniques are used
Spermicides
Can I use spermicides alone for birth control? You can, but they’re tricky to use. For that reason, women who rely only on spermicides for
Tubal Ligation
What’s tubal ligation? It’s an operation designed to make a woman sterile. If you’re certain that you don’t want to have any more children, you
Vasectomy: Is It For Me?
What is a vasectomy? A vasectomy is an operation designed to make a man sterile. A doctor simply cuts the tubes — called the vas
Hysterectomy: Pros and Cons
What is a hysterectomy? A hysterectomy is an operation to remove the uterus. The ovaries and other reproductive organs may be left intact, but in
Teen Pregnancy
Few teenagers have the experience or resources it takes to start a family. But that doesn’t keep them from doing so. According to the National
Depression: Getting the Treatment You Need
A diagnosis of depression shouldn’t feel like a life sentence. Doctors and mental health professionals have more tools than ever to help: Antidepressant drugs can
Condoms for Men
What’s so great about condoms? The condom, a thin rubber sheath that fits over your erect penis, traps your semen during sex and keeps you