Birth Control

Birth control is the conscious attempt to avoid conception while being sexually active. Birth control has been around since men and women figured out what caused pregnancy and that they could do something about it!  Even back in ancient... Full Answer

Family doctors are experts in general medicine, a broad specialty that includes reproductive health. Most family doctors routinely offer counseling in family planning, including advice on choosing and using birth control methods. When appropriate, your... Full Answer

Barrier methods of birth control block sperm from entering the uterus. Using a spermicide with a barrier method gives you the best possible barrier method protection. The spermicide kills most of the sperm that enter the vagina. The barrier method... Full Answer

A combination birth control pill contains two hormones, an estrogen and a progestin. The hormones in the pill prevent pregnancy by keeping your ovaries from releasing eggs. Pregnancy can't happen if there is no egg to meet the sperm. The pill also thins... Full Answer

Whether it is arsenic in your apple juice, or blood clots from taking birth control pills, it is always disconcerting to hear that something you thought was safe may in fact be risky.The drospirenone clot issue first came to light in May 2011 when two... Full Answer

No method of birth control is ideal for all women. Many options are safe and effective.Some important factors to consider are:Effectiveness: All methods of contraception may fail to prevent pregnancy even when used correctly. The rate of pregnancy... Full Answer

Many factors affect how well the birth control pill will work and how safe it will be. Obesity probably affects both.We don't know how great the effects of obesity are because research studies haven't told us. Many studies did not include overweight... Full Answer

"The Pill" is a combination of estrogen and progesterone, hormones that regulate ovulation and the menstrual cycle. Many women use the pill for other than contraception, due to other health benefits. These advantages include shorter, more... Full Answer

A recent study shows that women over 40 are almost as likely to have unplanned pregnancies as 16-year-olds. Certain myths, like thinking you're too old to get pregnant, contribute to women over 40 getting pregnant. Unless you have officially entered... Full Answer

Rarely, birth-control pills have been associated with several eye conditions involving the blood vessels of the eye. However, there is no proof of a direct link between birth-control pills and eye disease in most women, and the risk of eye problems... Full Answer