Birth Control Medical Reference

Hormonal birth control pills almost always work to prevent pregnancies -- as long as you don’t skip doses and take them on schedule. Here’s how to do that.

With a multitude of condom sizes on the market, it may take some effort to find the proper fit. Learn more about how to make sure you have the right fit and the consequences when you don't.

Tubal ligation, also known as getting your tubes tied, is a permanent method of birth control -- usually. Find out how likely you are to get pregnant once you have this surgery.

Tubal ligation, or getting your tubes tied, has a number of advantages and disadvantages. It’s also permanent and hard to reverse, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

Find out what happens when your doctor takes your IUD out, and when is the right time to have it removed.

Learn which IUD side effects are most common. Find out what to do if you have a problem with your IUD.

Learn what happens when you get an IUD, and what you need to know once it's in place.

The birth control patch works by delivering pregnancy-blocking hormones through your skin. Learn the pros and cons of these transdermal patches and whether they are right for you.

Yes, you can still get pregnant even if you use birth control. Here’s a look at the effectiveness of the most common types, and how to lower your chances of an “oops” pregnancy.

Not all women want to use or can use hormonal contraceptives like the pill. Learn more about nonhormonal birth control options, their effectiveness, and pros and cons of each.

Birth control isn’t just a woman’s responsibility. Here’s what men can do to help avoid an unplanned pregnancy.

You know the pill can help you prevent pregnancy, but there are many other benefits to taking birth control pills.

Birth control needs can change as you enter your 40s and 50s. Learn about the options and when you can stop using birth control.

IUDs and implants are very safe and effective for birth control. But there are some key differences in how they work. Learn how you get them, how long they last, and side effects.

Blood clots are rare, but they can be dangerous. Your birth control may make you more likely to get one. Find out which birth control methods put you at risk for DVT and PE, and how much.

The Minipill: Everything you need to know about taking progestin-only birth control.

Birth control pills are supposed to prevent you from getting pregnant, but they’re not 100% effective. So what are your chances? Learn when and why you can still get pregnant on the pill.

The pull-out method, also called the withdrawal method, is when a man takes his penis out of a woman's vagina before he ejaculates so fewer sperm get inside. Learn more about the effectiveness, how it works, benefits, and disadvantages of the pull-out method.

WebMD explains whether your risk for heart disease and blood clots goes up if you take birth control that has the hormones estrogen and progestin, such as the pill or other methods like injections, IUDs, and the patch.

How do “natural” methods of birth control work? WebMD discusses family planning, rhythm method, cervical mucus, and more.

Teens don't always use birth control correctly or consistently. WebMD tells you about the best birth control methods for teens as recommended by health experts.

Some contraceptive choices may be better than others when you’re nursing your baby. WebMD lets you know what options won’t impact your milk supply.

Whether you’ve been using hormone birth control for a short while or a long time, you may be in for some changes when you quit.

WebMD explains which drugs may lessen the effectiveness of the pill and other types of hormonal birth control.

A vasectomy is a small operation a man has to prevent pregnancy. The procedure, which you can get at a doctor’s office without being asleep, works by blocking sperm from reaching semen ejaculated from the penis. With no sperm entering the woman, she won’t get pregnant.