Different Forms Of Contraception

When you become sexually active, it's a good idea to learn about different forms of contraception. That is, unless you want to be up to your knees in babies. Contraception comes in many different forms and can have wildly different effects on your sex life. When you are looking at choosing contraception, you need to decide what works with your lifestyle and your long-term goals. Some types of contraception are more convenient, while others are more effective. Looking over all of your contraception choices before sex allows you to make an informed decision.

1. Abstinence. You might have had the whole abstinence talk in high school sex education, but let's face it, who really wants to use this method for contraception?
2. Hormonal Birth Control. There isn't any hormonal birth control available for men yet, but if your girlfriend is looking for a highly effective birth control method, one of the many different types of hormonal birth control would do it. Hormonal birth control includes the birth control pill, implants, the Nuva Ring, the Mirena IUD and the shot. Hormonal birth control is not created equally and can have a wide variety of side effects. Getting the right type of hormonal birth control can take a lot of time for a woman, as the hormone levels and mood swings can be quite different depending on the type they end up with.
3. Vasectomy. A vasectomy is surgery for male sterilization. If you want to avoid running the risk of impregnating anyone, permanent sterilization does the trick.
4. Condoms. The low-cost, convenient contraception solution for men. If you're hooking up with a girl and you don't know her state of birth control, a condom is always a good fallback. It's not the most effective form of contraceptive out there, but it's way better than nothing. Condoms also help protect you against STDs, so you don't end up with the gift that keeps on giving.
   
5. Fertility Awareness. Fertility awareness is a type of birth control you can use with someone you're in a long-term relationship with and you trust her completely. The woman tracks her reproductive cycle and abstains from sex during her ovulation period, typically between days eight and sixteen of her monthly cycle. This type of contraceptive can take some time to track and set up and may be combined with other forms of birth control.
   
6. Withdrawal. Withdrawal is the act of pulling your penis out before climaxing and it's one of those birth control methods that often get passed around in high school and as a young adult. Simply put, it's not effective in the least. If even one drop of sperm gets inside her, you're risking a pregnancy and you aren't going to be able to realize whether you have left some pre-ejaculate or not. Needless to say, unless you're gunning to be a baby daddy, use one of the other methods.