Birth control, also known as contraception, is designed to prevent pregnancy. Birth control methods may work in a number of different ways. Your choice of birth control should depend on several factors. These include your health, frequency of sexual activity, number of sexual partners and desire to have children in the future. Your health care provider can help you select the best form of birth control for you.

Failure rates, based on statistical estimates, are another key factor. It is important to remember that even though all contraceptive methods can help prevent pregnancy, condoms are the only method that can protect against sexually transmitted diseases or HIV. The only guaranteed way to avoid both pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease is to practice total abstinence (refrain from sexual contact).

Further Reading:

• Methods of Contraception
• Failure Rates for Contraception
• Oral Contraceptives: Benefits, Risks and Choices
• Sterilization Surgery - Tubal Ligation

This is an excerpt provided by the National Institutes of Health, NICHD.

This information is provided for your information. It is not medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for visiting your doctor. If you need medical care, or have any questions, please contact your obstetrician-gynecologist.