What Is Emergency Contraception? Emergency contraception is a way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. Often called the morning-after pill, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are pills that can be taken up to 120 hours (5 days) after having unprotected sex. Some types of emergency contraception work best when taken within 72 hours (3 …
change text Does douching after sex prevent a girl from getting pregnant? – Clara* No. Douching does not prevent pregnancy. Sperm swim very fast and many reach the uterus before a girl even begins to douche. Also, douching can actually push sperm into the uterus. If you decide to have sex, use reliable birth control. Some birth control methods are …
change text When you go to a free clinic to get birth control, do you have to be examined by a doctor before you can get it? – Dariya* Not always. Until recently, women expected to have a pelvic exam before a doctor would prescribe any kind of birth control. Now experts agree that a physical exam is not always necessary …
What Are Condoms? Condoms are thin pouches that keep sperm from getting into the vagina. There are male condoms and female condoms: A male condom is worn on the penis. It is usually made of latex, a type of rubber. But some are made of materials that are safe for people with latex allergies, such as …
What Is the Birth Control Shot? The birth control shot is an injection given to a girl every 3 months to help prevent pregnancy. The birth control shot contains a long acting form of the hormone progestin. How Does the Birth Control Shot Work? The hormone progestin in the birth control shot works by preventing …
What Is the Birth Control Ring? The birth control ring is a flexible circular device that goes inside the vagina. It slowly releases hormones through the vaginal wall into the bloodstream. These hormones help prevent pregnancy. How Does the Birth Control Ring Work? The combination of the hormones progestin and estrogen in the birth control ring …
What Is It? The birth control pill (also called “the Pill”) is a daily pill that contains hormones to change the way the body works and prevent pregnancy. Hormones are chemical substances that control the functioning of the body’s organs. In this case, the hormones in the Pill control the ovaries and the uterus. How Does …
What Is the Birth Control Patch? The birth control patch is a thin, beige, 1¾-inch (4½-centimeter) square patch that sticks to the skin. It releases hormones through the skin into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy. Hormones are chemical substances that control the functioning of the body’s organs. How Does the Birth Control Patch Work? …
Some Methods Work Better Than Others Some birth control methods work better than others. The chart on the following page compares how well different birth control methods work. The most effective way to prevent pregnancy is abstinence . However, within the first year of committing to abstinence, many couples become pregnant because they have sex anyway but don’t …
What Is Abstinence? Abstinence is choosing not to have sex. How Does Abstinence Work? Abstinence (AB-stih-nints) is the simplest form of birth control. If two people don’t have sex, sperm can’t fertilize an egg and there’s no possibility of pregnancy. Other forms of birth control: depend on barriers that prevent the sperm from reaching the egg …
Permissions Guidelines
