Birth Control (Contraception) for Women

For now, abstaining from sex is the most effective and least expensive way to prevent pregnancy and avoid sexually transmitted infection. It is also a good time to become familiar with several reliable ways to prevent pregnancy.

Whenever you become sexually active again, make sure your new partner uses a condom. Male condoms provide a protective barrier to prevent sexually transmitted infections but they are only 85-95 percent effective preventing pregnancy.

The most reliable reversible contraceptives are hormonal methods or an intrauterine device (IUD).

Most women prefer to start with a hormonal method, such as birth control pills. Of the types of hormonal contraceptives, some contain a combination of estrogen and progesterone. Others contain only progesterone.

First, let's be sure that you don't have a medical reason to avoid all hormonal types of birth control.

Some women should probably avoid hormonal contraceptives. It's safest to not take hormones if you

-- Have a history of blood clots

-- Have breast cancer

Do you have a history of blood clots or breast cancer?

Yes

No