Birth control prevents pregnancy by preventing conception. Some methods prevent an egg from maturing. Some keep the sperm and egg from meeting. And some methods work in both ways.
Certain hormones help prevent an egg from maturing and being released. Hormone methods include:
Birth control pills
Skin patches
Contraceptive vaginal rings
Injections
Methods that prevent the sperm and egg from joining include:
Barrier methods, such as the condom, the diaphragm, and the cervical cap
Spermicide
The IUD (intrauterine device)
Sterilization
Natural family planning
Some types of hormone methods
Date Last Reviewed:
Date Last Modified: 2003-12-29T00:00:00-07:00
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