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Hormonal Methods

Hookup Tip #28: Before you mix birth control pills w/other meds, talk to ur doctor.

If you see a doctor for any reason, tell the doctor that you are using birth control. Some medicines may keep your birth control from working as well. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary.

Emergency Contraception for Teens

What can be done to prevent pregnancy if a condom breaks, you don’t use a regular method of birth control correctly, you have sex without using any method of birth control, or someone has forced you to have sex? You can take Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs).

What are Emergency Contraceptive Pills?

ECPs are very safe pills made from hormones like the ones a teen girl’s body makes after she starts having her menstrual periods. When a certain number of ECPs are taken soon after unprotected sex, they can prevent pregnancy.

What Is the Birth Control Ring?

Birth Control Patch

What Is the Birth Control Patch?

The contraceptive patch is a small patch a woman can wear on her skin to keep her from getting pregnant. It sticks to the skin like a Band-Aid. The patch contains both estrogen and progestin. The hormones go slowly into the woman's body through her skin.

Each patch works for only 1 week. You wear 1 patch each week for 3 weeks. During the fourth week, you wear no patch at all. This is when you will get your period.

The patch works well to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV and other STDs. If you have sex with anyone you think might give you a sexually transmitted infection, you should use a condom.

Birth Control Shot

What Is the Birth Control Shot?

The contraceptive shot that clinics now give is called Depo-Provera. It is a shot that the woman gets every 12 weeks to keep from getting pregnant. The shot only has progestin in it, no estrogen.

The shot works well to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV or other STDs. If you are having sex with someone who might give you an STD, use a condom.

Birth Control Pill

What Is the Birth Control Pill?

The contraceptive pill is what most people think of as "the pill." It is a pill made with both estrogen and progestin. The woman takes one pill at the same time each day.

There are many types and brands of contraceptive pills. They come in different colors and in different kinds of packs. A clinician decides which type and brand is best for each woman.