Birth Control

Whether you're a guy or a girl, you'll find everything you need to know about birth control in this section.

There are many different kinds of birth control. Many men use male condoms as their birth control method. Women have more options for birth control methods including IUDs, the pill, female condoms, and others. Withdrawal and abstinence are methods that anyone can use. Remember, your birth control needs may change over time as your relationships, lifestyle, and desire to have a baby change. It is important to find a method that is right for you and your partner.

Learn more about specific birth control methods from the links on this page.

If you haven't decided what birth control method you want to use, visit the TeenSource Reproductive Life Plan, where you can find suggestions for making the decision. 

Barrier Methods

These methods are used during intercourse to prevent pregnancy. They work by stopping sperm from getting to the egg. Male and female condoms can also be used to help prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) during vaginal, oral, and anal sex.

Hormonal Methods

Hormonal methods work by changing the hormone levels in a woman's body so that no egg is released from the ovary or so that the mucus in the cervix thickens. This prevents the sperm from traveling to the egg.

Hormonal methods work very well to prevent pregnancy, but do not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. If a woman is concerned that she might get a sexually transmitted disease from her partner, the couple should use condoms.

Long-Term Methods

There are three types of long-term pregnancy prevention methods, all of which work for several years or more. One kind is the implant; this method can be used for three years. The second kind is called an intrauterine device (IUD). The third type is sterilization. Sterilization is considered a permanent method because it is difficult to reverse. Sterilization is used by people who do not want any children or who have already had all the children that they want.

Long-term methods work very well to prevent pregnancy, but do not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. If you are having sex with someone who might give you a sexually transmitted disease, use condoms.

Information-Based Methods

Information-based methods use facts about how pregnancy occurs and how the the woman and man's reproductive systems work. With this information, women and men have pregnancy prevention choices that are safe, effective, and are very inexpensive.

Most information-based methods work well to prevent pregnancy, but do not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. If you are having sex with someone who might give you a sexually transmitted disease, use condoms. Abstinence is the only information-based method that prevents the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

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