Birth control and family planning

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Your choice of a birth control method depends on a number of factors, including your health, how often you have sex, and whether or not you want children.

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Here are some questions to consider when selecting a birth control method:

How well does the method prevent pregnancy? To tell how well a method works, look at the number of pregnancies in 100 women using that method over a period of 1 year. What are your feelings about getting pregnant? Would an unplanned pregnancy create hardship or distress to a woman or her partner? Or would a pregnancy be welcomed if it occurred earlier than planned? How much does a method of birth control cost? Does your insurance plan pay for it? What are the health risks? Talk about these risks with your health care provider before believing what you hear from others. Is your partner willing to accept and use a given method of birth control? Do you want a method that you only need to use when you have sex? Or do you want something that is in place and always working? Is preventing infections spread by sexual contact important? Many methods do not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms are the best choice for preventing STIs. They work best when combined with spermicides. Availability: Can the method be used without a prescription, a provider visit, or, in the case of minors, parental consent?