Methods
Birth control includes barrier methods, hormonal contraception, intrauterine devices (IUDs), sterilization, and behavioral methods. Hormones can be delivered by injection, by mouth (orally), placed in the vagina, or implanted under the skin. The most common types of oral contraception include the combined oral contraceptive pill and the progestogen-only pill. Methods are typically used before sex but emergency contraception is effective shortly after intercourse.
Determining whether a woman with one or more illnesses, diseases, risk factors, or abnormalities can use a particular form of birth control is a complex medical question sometimes requiring a pelvic examination or medical tests. The World Health Organization publishes a detailed list of medical eligibility criteria for each type of contraception.
- Birth control methods
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An unrolled male latex condom
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A polyurethane female condom
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A diaphragm vaginal-cervical barrier, in its case with a quarter U.S. coin to show scale
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A contraceptive sponge set inside its open package
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Three varieties of birth control pills in calendar oriented packaging
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A transdermal contraceptive patch
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A NuvaRing vaginal ring
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A hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) against a background showing placement in the uterus
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A split dose of two emergency contraceptive pills (most morning after pills now only require one)
Read more about this topic: Birth Control
Famous quotes containing the word methods:
“Generalization, especially risky generalization, is one of the chief methods by which knowledge proceeds... Safe generalizations are usually rather boring. Delete that “usually rather.” Safe generalizations are quite boring.”
—Joseph Epstein (b. 1937)
“A woman might claim to retain some of the child’s faculties, although very limited and defused, simply because she has not been encouraged to learn methods of thought and develop a disciplined mind. As long as education remains largely induction ignorance will retain these advantages over learning and it is time that women impudently put them to work.”
—Germaine Greer (b. 1939)
“If men got pregnant, there would be safe, reliable methods of birth control. They’d be inexpensive, too.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)