Birth control methods, also commonly known as contraceptives, are a collection of devices, medicines and practices that help a woman to avoid an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy.
Birth control basics:
Birth control is available in the form of pills, injections, patches, implants, IUDs, and the vaginal ring. These work by changing the hormonal environment of a woman’s body, and are therefore known as hormonal birth control procedures.
Hormonal birth control works by inhibiting the process of ovulation. Estrogen and progesterone are two hormones that play a vital part in ovulation and the menstrual cycle. Hormonal birth control procedures also contain the hormones estrogen and progesterone. When a woman uses these measures for birth control, her own body’s hormone levels are disturbed in such a way that ovulation is not triggered.

Hormonal birth control only provides protection from pregnancy as long as the treatment is continued. This means that even if a woman has sexually inactive days, she must continue to use the form of birth control being used in order to gain long term protection.

Emergency birth control can be taken to stop a pregnancy from occurring, within five days after unprotected sexual intercourse. It can also be used when normal methods of birth control have failed (e.g., forgetting to take a pill, or forgetting to use condoms). Emergency birth control is also a form of hormonal birth control.

Barrier birth control is a commonly available form of birth control, such as condoms for both men and women, and spermicidal. These methods prevent the male’s sperm from reaching the female ovum during sexual intercourse, so it does not allow the process of fertilization.
To gain protection from pregnancy, these methods must be applied or inserted just prior to intercourse. Since these methods are used at the time of sexual intercourse, benefits of avoiding pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are available at every use. This birth control is used as the need arises and does not need continuous use.