Contraception

The morning-after pill, also known as the emergency contraception pill, can not typically be obtained from a doctor. The pill must be received from a pharmacy or drugstore.

Millions of women successfully use birth control pills to prevent pregnancy each year. When you know how your behavior affects the effectiveness of the pill, you can take steps to ensure you don't...

Contraceptive foam is one of several types of birth control in the spermicide family. Spermicides are placed inside the vagina and prevent pregnancy by killing or paralyzing sperm so that it...

The morning after pill is a form of emergency birth control that contains the same type of medicine as the birth control pill. In the case of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure, the morning...

Women who take birth control pills sometimes experience leg pain. Read all the information and warnings that come with your pills and learn how to take them properly.

Introduced in the early 1990s, Dep Provera is an injectable birth control administered every three months. Depo Provera uses synthetic progesterone to suppress ovulation and increase cervical...

What are the dangers of estrogen-based contraceptives? Hormonal-based birth control methods use either synthetic estrogen or progestin or both.

Birth control methods offer both positive and negative side effects for the women who use them. While there are many myths concerning birth control, most have proved to be unfounded by science....

Women over 50 may not see the need to use birth control but they are a silent risk group for HIV infection. The 50 and over demographic is sexually active, and women need to understand their...

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. There are different ways to accomplish a pregnancy termination, but they all end in the eventual return to fertility for the female. For this reason,...

Birth control pills introduce synthetic hormones into the system to prevent pregnancy. Many women experience some changes when beginning use of this contraceptive method, as well as when stopping...

Herbs for birth control can impair fertility in various ways, offering an alternative to other types of methods for contraception, such as birth control pills. These herbs can affect fertility...

Because birth control delivers large amounts of hormones into the body, it is common to experience some changes when you stop taking it. There are no proven long-term effects to discontinuing the...

The morning after pill is a heavy does of hormones that work to prevent pregnancy. Once you know how the pill works and that it is safe for women, you can decide if its something that is ever...

According to researchers at Oregon State University's School of Public Health, weight gain is one of the most worrisome side effects of birth control for women considering contraception. For women...

Prescribed for much more than simple birth control, oral contraceptives are used to treat a range of medical conditions. This widespread use means that a large number of young women are taking...

Medroxyprogesterone, also known as Provera and Depo-Provera, is a synthetic hormone that regulates menstruation and ovulation. It is most widely used as a contraceptive to suppress ovulation. It...

Thirty-eight million Americans have access to Medicaid as a main source for health care coverage. Seventy-one percent of those covered are women. Medicaid provides services directly related to...

Ortho Evra or Evra is a prescription skin patch used to prevent pregnancy. Despite its effectiveness, Evra poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

Depo-Provera is a hormonal birth control injection a woman receives every three months. Depo releases progestin into your body, which prevents ovulation and thickens your cervical mucus, making...

Mirena is an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control. While inserted, many women experience little to no bleeding during their menstrual cycle. However, after Mirena is removed, women often...

Camila is a generic name for norethindrone birth control pills, a progestin-only contraception. Camila changes the nature of the cervical mucus and uterine lining, which inhibits sperm mobility...

The "Pill," one of the most popular methods of birth control supplies the body with estrogen to trick it into believing it is pregnant and stopping ovulation. While you may not experience side...

Medroxyprog AC is a prescription injection used to prevent pregnancy and reduce signs of acne. Despite its effectiveness, Medroxyprog AC poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

Marvelon is a prescription medication used in the United Kingdom to prevent pregnancy. Despite its effectiveness, Marvelon poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

The oral contraceptive method is 92% to 99.7% effective as a means of birth control. The directions state to take one pill at the same time each day. Ease of use and not having to disrupt a...

Also known as Apri or Ortho-cept, an ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel tablet is a prescription medication used to prevent pregnancy. Despite its effectiveness, Ortho-cept poses risks for side...

Plan B, or the morning-after pill, is an emergency contraceptive can be taken up to 72 hours after intercourse. Its manufacturer claims that it prevents pregnancy in roughly seven out of every...

The "morning-after pill" is sold under the brand names Next Choice, Plan B and Plan B One-Step. It is a form of emergency contraception that contains the hormone progestin, and it is the only type...

Mirena is a type of intrauterine device that prevents pregnancy in women. An IUD is inserted into the uterus and prevents sperm from meeting with an egg. The Mirena IUD also releases the hormone...

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a form of birth control that has no waiting period and is convenient to use. As with all birth control methods, there are advantages and disadvantages to using an IUD.

Abortion is a complicated, difficult subject to discuss for many people, given the strong feelings most have toward the issue. For the women who need to have an abortion performed, it is of utmost...

Depo-Provera is a birth control injection that women receive every three months to prevent pregnancy. It is considered safe and convenient but can have positive and negative effects on a woman's body.

The Nuva Ring works to prevent pregnancy through the release of estrogen and progestin into your body. These two hormones in higher concentrations than normal tell your body not to release a...

Cycle Beads offer a natural and drug-free contraceptive alternative based on the Standard Days method. Cycle Beads are a string of 32 color-coded beads, including red, brown and white beads. A...

When choosing birth control, it's important to understand the risk factors to determine what method is right for you. The birth control pill may be your fist choice, but risks such as cancer and...

Nordette is the generic name for a birth control pill that may be sold under brand names such as Alesse, Levora, Lybrel, Portia or Triphasil. Nordette birth control pills contain a synthetic...

NuvaRing is the brand name of the birth control vaginal ring, a flexible, plastic ring that releases hormones when inserted into your vagina. The ring is an effective, convenient, and easily...

Ortho Evra is the brand name of the birth control patch, a small adhesive patch that releases hormones into the bloodstream when placed on the skin. The patch is worn for a week at a time for the...

MinEstrin is a contraceptive drug sold in Canada that contains the hormones estrogen and progestin. The estrogen in the drug blocks the process of ovulation, keeping a mature egg from passing from...

Depo-Provera is an injection of the female hormone progestin used to prevent pregnancy. The progestin causes the uterus to stop ovulating, producing eggs. If no eggs are present, they cannot be...

Living with migraines isn't easy for anyone. But as painful and disturbing as the headaches and related symptoms are, women often run into an additional problem: what to do about birth control....

The American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Obstetricians (ACOG) recommend that oral contraceptives for women be available in low doses with a prescription from a licensed...

Implanon is the brand name of a birth control implant, a small rod that is inserted into a woman's arm to prevent pregnancy. Implanon was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006. A...

Women who take oral contraceptives often experience side effects. While most of these effects, such as breast tenderness, moodiness, and weight gain, are not considered serious, it is important...

Women who use oral contraceptives often experience certain mild side effects. More serious risks such as breast cancer are controversial because not all medical professionals believe there is any...

Women who are sexually active but don't want to get pregnant often use some form of artificial contraception. Because all forms of artificial birth control carry risks, it is important to be aware...

Oral contraceptive pills were introduced in America in 1960 and are considered a safe and effective method of birth control. There are more than 45 birth control brands available on the market...

The Mirena IUD is a small, plastic device about the size of a penny that is inserted into the uterus as a means of preventing pregnancy. Mirena is different from other IUDs because it contains...

Plan B , also known as the morning after pill, is a form of birth control that is used as emergency contraception after having unwanted or unprotected sex or in the event of contraceptive failure....