Contraceptive Defined

• Contraceptives include any chemical agent, drug or device that prevents pregnancy, rendering impregnation virtually impossible. There are many forms or types of contraceptive methods. Those include pill forms, abstinence, male and female condoms, spermicides, patches and injections.
  
  

Abstinence and NFP

• Abstinence is voluntarily not participating in any sexual activity. Abstinence is the only form of contraceptive that will prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases at 100 percent.
  
  NFP is a fertility awareness method and means Natural Family Planning. In NFP no drugs or devices are used to prevent pregnancy. NFP monitors the menstrual cycle to evaluate when ovulation will occur. in NFP the woman takes and records her basal body temperature and checks for thinning in the cervical mucus every day. NFP requires abstinencef or seven to 10 days during the ovulation period to prevent pregnancy. Some couples choose to have sex during this time using another method of contraceptive, such as condoms or spermicides.
  
  

Barrier Methods

• Barrier methods stop sperm from going into the woman's uterus and can protect against sexually transmitted diseases. The most common barrier method is the male condom. The male condom usually is made of latex rubber and rolls onto the penis before sexual activity. The female condom, though not as common as the male condom, is also a barrier method. This condom is 7 inches long and made of polyurethane, it has two flexible rings and inserts into the vagina before sexual activity. The coverage of the female condom includes the cervix, vaginal canal and the contact area around the vagina.
  
  Spermicides come in the form of foams, jellies, foaming tablets and vaginal suppositories. Spermicides are chemicals that are inserted into the vagina to kill sperm deposited there, and they offer little to no protection against sexually transmitted diseases, depending on the ingredients.
  
  A diaphragm is soft, shaped like a dome and stretches over a flexible ring. A spermicidal cream or a jelly is applied inside the dome before sexual activity. The diaphragm should be inserted in the vagina and placed over the cervix at least three hours before sexual intercourse.
  
  

Pills, Patches, Inserts and Injections

• Contraceptive methods also come in the form of birth control pills, injections, inserts and patches that affect hormone levels in women. A birth control pill is taken each day, and it must be prescribed by a doctor. Depo-Provera and Lunelle are the more common birth control injection methods. An injection of Depo-Provera is given by the doctor and prevents pregnancy for three months. Lunelle is is similar but lasts for one month.
  
  NuvaRing is a newer contraceptive method for preventing pregnancy. This is a vaginal ring that is inserted into the vagina for three weeks. It is taken out for a week and then replaced with a new NuvaRing. This contraceptive method releases estrogen and progesterone into the woman's body.
  
  The more commonly used birth control patch is the Ortho Evra Patch. This sticky patch has hormones built into it and is placed directly on the skin. For three weeks in a row, the patch is placed on either the buttocks, hip or upper arm. On the fourth week the woman goes patch-free so that the menstrual period can occur.
  
  

Sterilization

• Sterilization methods are available for both men and women. In women the sterilization method is to close the fallopian tubes so that eggs cannot get from the ovaries to the uterus. This method is referred to as a tubal ligation. In men, a vasectomy is a surgical procedure that closes the tubes that carry sperm.