Barrier, hormonal and implantable include types of birth control available for those who wish to prevent an untimely pregnancy. Each method has its pros and cons, and the best method is the method that fits easiest into one's life. Learning about each type of contraception remains the only way to choose the right form of birth control.
Depo-Provera
A hormonal contraceptive, Depo-Provera is given as a shot either in the arm or buttocks every three months, according to Women'sHealth. It contains the hormone progestin, and prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs. It also prevents sperm from joining with the egg by causing changes in the cervix.
Women'sHealth states that the shot should not be given any longer than two years in a row as it can decrease bone density. Women who choose to continue using this method longer have a greater risk of suffering from fractures and osteoporosis.
Condoms
Condoms are a barrier contraceptive and two types exist--male and female. The male condom remains the most common type of barrier methods and are made of latex, polyurethane or lambskin. Women'sHealth stresses the importance of keeping male condoms in a cool area rather than a hot place such as a wallet, because it cause a breakdown of the latex, which can result in the condom tearing during sex.
Women wear the female condom inside her vagina, and it covers the cervix, vaginal canal and area surrounding the vagina. Made of a flexible, manmade rubber, women can insert it eight hours prior to having sex.
Diaphragm
The diaphragm--another barrier method--is a device a woman inserts into her vagina no more than three hours prior to intercourse, made of a soft, rubber dome that stretches over a flexible ring. The dome contains a spermicidal jelly or cream, which a woman applies to the device prior to insertion.
Birth Control Pills
The birth control pill remains one of the most popular hormonal methods of contraception, and according to the American Pregnancy Association, works in one of three ways: They prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg, they thicken the mucus of the cervix or thin the lining of the uterus to prevent an egg from attaching to the uterus wall.
The pills contain either one or two hormones--estrogen and/or progestin--which women take once a day. Extended cycle pills are also available; women taking these only have a period four times a year.
