Emergency contraception (also known as emergency birth control) is a form of birth control that can be taken if your normal mode of contraception fails (such as the condom breaks), you fail to take your birth control pill, or if you have...
Contraceptive options exist for people wanting a form of birth control. All of the contraceptive options work to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. Some work to block sperm from entering a woman’s body, and others prohibit an egg from...
Contraceptive foam is an effective method of contraception that involves the use of spermicidal foam to kill sperm. This method is effective when administered properly. Use of a condom with spermicidal foam increases the effectiveness. Although...
Contraceptive pills are a popular form of contraception due to their ease of use and availability. Contraceptive pills work by supplying low levels of certain hormones which help disturb the female menstrual cycle. As a result, ovulation (the...
The contraceptive pill is used for a variety of reasons, the most common being the prevention of pregnancy. A number of different types of oral contraceptives exist, but this form of birth control typically comes in either a 21- or 28-day pack....
All methods of birth control are accompanied by possible side effects, and contraceptive sponges are no exception. One possible, but very serious, side effect of the contraceptive sponge is toxic shock syndrome (TSS). A contraceptive sponge needs...
The sponge is a small foam device that fits over your cervix to block sperm from entering. Sponges also contain a spermicide to kill any sperm that tries to get through to the cervix. If you've never had children, the sponge is about 84 percent...
Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the sebaceous glands release sebum, an oil, from the hair follicles. Sebum, along with bacteria and dead skin cells, can clog the follicles. If acne is mild, it can be treated with over-the-counter face...
The use of birth control pills, oral contraceptives, to help prevent pregnancy is widespread. Oral contraceptives contain progestin or synthetic progesterone. These contraceptives have several negative side effects, including physical and...
The morning after pill is a form of emergency contraception for use after having unprotected intercourse for the prevention of pregnancy. As of December 2009, this pill is available over the counter to women ages 17 and above. Women age 16 and...
Because of their ease of use and effectiveness, many women rely on oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, to prevent pregnancy. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that in 2002, 11.6 million women in the United States used oral...
The IUD, or intrauterine device, is a method of birth control for women that is inserted into the uterus. Once the IUD is placed, it prevents pregnancy by making the uterus inhospitable to sperm. In the United States, approximately 2 percent of...
Although you may experience symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and irregular periods, only your doctor can tell you whether your estrogen is low and needs some type of supplementation. Of course, birth control pills and hormone replacement...
Pregnancy is a life-changing experience that requires making decisions with long-term effects. Take measures to help ensure it happens at the right time. Remember that the effectiveness of the chosen method of birth control correlates with how...
Oily hair often results from hormonal changes and can be difficult to control. Oiliness is due to excessive production of oil by overactive oil glands in the skin. The same oily substance produced by these glands is also responsible for oily...
Emergency contraception, also called the "morning after pill," is used by some women when they did not use birth control during intercourse or their method of contraception failed. When taking within five days, emergency contraception prevents...
Birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives, are used to prevent pregnancy. These pills contain hormones, so there are several adverse effects to consider before starting this type of drug. Some women may not be able to take oral...
Your plan was to get married, get a good job, buy a house, get a dog and then have two kids. But now you find yourself pregnant and you feel more alone than ever. You're not alone. According to the American Pregnancy Helpline, about 3 million U.S....
Women use contraceptives for birth control and to treat menstruation disorders. There are two types of contraceptives. The first is hormonal, and it includes the pill, the patch, implants and the intrauterine device (IUD). The second contraception...
The advent of oral contraception, most commonly called the birth control pill, or just "the pill," has allowed women to take control of their reproductive choices without having to rely on their partners. Birth control pills contain estrogen and...
Effective birth control choices have never been more available. Improvements in the different types of available birth control offer the user many effective choices. The best birth control method for any individual depends on various factors,...
Mirena is the commercial name for the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system of birth control. Mirena is a device implanted in your body that releases small amounts of the progestogen levonorgestrel directly to your uterus. This system...
Contraceptives offer a way for sperm to be blocked from reaching the ovaries in a woman to prevent a pregnancy. Most contraceptives do not block against sexually transmitted diseases. The only way to prevent a disease or infection is to abstain...
Both men and women with certain hormonal conditions can benefit from testosterone cream. Men with low levels of testosterone may be dealing with a low sex drive, hair loss and weight gain. Women experience a gradual decrease in testosterone levels...
Contraceptives are birth control, used to prevent a woman from getting pregnant when engaging in intercourse. There are many different forms of contraceptives, some used by women and some used by men. The effectiveness of contraceptives varies...
Medroxyprogest, or medroxyprogesterone, is a man-made form of the naturally occurring female hormone progesterone. The medication mimics the actions of progesterone, causing thinning of the uterine lining, or endometrium. Doctors commonly...
Vitamin B-6, or pyridoxine, is one of the B complex vitamins. It occurs in three forms in food -- pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine -- all of which are attached to a phosphorous group after you consume them. Pyridoxal-5-phosphate, or P5P, is...
Hormonal contraceptives, or HC, were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the 1960s, and have long been considered one of the most effective contraceptive methods on the market. Oral contraceptives, or OC, are known to have a...
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that nearly 50 percent of the pregnancies that occur in the United States are unplanned and that an estimated 43 percent of unplanned pregnancies end in abortion. Contraception can stop those unplanned...
Toxic shock syndrome is the end result of a bacterial toxin, most often staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pyogenes. Learn more about toxic shock syndrome including treatments and symptoms in this medical video.
Uterine cancer is a major problem in women's health. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for cancer of the uterus in this video.
