OxfordPress.com

Many women do not get the protection they expect from their birth control methods because they do not use the methods correctly.

Of women using birth control, as many as 53 percent experienced unplanned pregnancies.

Birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives, are now available in a variety of low-dose options that are safe and effective for most healthy women. Birth control pills include combination pills, which contain estrogen and progestin, and a "mini-pill" option that does not contain estrogen.

Oral contraceptives (OCs) may reduce the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers and provide other health benefits such as regulating menstrual cycles; one brand of OCs) has been shown to be effective for treating symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome.

When used consistently and correctly, condoms offer the best available means of reducing the risk of infection from the following STDs: gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. Condoms can also reduce the risk of genital herpes, syphilis, chancroid and HPV infection, but only when the infected areas are covered or protected by the condom.

Women who have medical or religious concerns about artificial birth control methods can use fertility awareness methods, sometimes called natural family planning. These methods require that couples be motivated and adhere to a schedule that avoids sex when a woman is ovulating and most likely to be fertile.

More than half of 17-year-olds have had intercourse. A sexually active teenager who doesn't use contraception has a 90 percent chance of becoming pregnant within one year. Studies show that teens who talk to their parents about sex, pregnancy, birth control and sexually transmitted diseases are less likely to become sexually active at an early age and more likely to use protection when they do have sex.

Sterilization is the most popular form of birth control in the United States. It is considered a permanent form of birth control.

It can be helpful to review your contraceptive option as you age to make sure your current birth control method continues to fit your lifestyle and reproductive health needs.