Also called: Contraception
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Birth Control
Birth control, also known as contraception, is the use of medicines, devices, or surgery to prevent pregnancy. There are many different types. Some are reversible, while others are permanent. Some types can also help prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
There are several different types of birth control, and they work in different ways:
There are some types of pregnancy prevention that do not involve medicines, devices, or surgery:
Emergency contraception is not a regular method of birth control. But it can be used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse or if a condom breaks. There are two types:
- Copper IUD, which is a small, T-shaped device that a provider inserts within 120 hours of unprotected intercourse.
- Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), which are hormonal pills which the woman takes as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse.
When deciding which birth control type is right for you, there are many different factors to consider:
- Do you want to have children someday? How soon?
- Do you have any health conditions?
- How often do you have sex?
- How many sex partners do you have?
- Do you also need protection from HIV and other STIs?
- How well does the birth control method work?
- Are there any side effects?
- Will you be able to use it correctly every time?
- How much does it cost?
Your provider can answer your questions about birth control to help you select the best type for you.
It sits within Women, Pregnancy and Reproduction, Men, Female Reproductive System and Male Reproductive System.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Birth Control
2,864 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Pain Associated wIth traditioNal Versus uLtrasound guidEd iuS (Intra Uterine System) inSertionUniversity Hospital, Ghent
- Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Levonorgestrel Vaginal SystemChemo Research
- Photobiomodulation on Pain Perception During the Insertion of the T 380 Copper Intrauterine Device (IUD)University of Nove de Julho
- Hybrid Closed-Loop Insulin Delivery After PancreatectomyCentre Hospitalier Sud Francilien
- Trial Investigating the Efficacy and Safety of Weekly Lonapegsomatropin Compared to Daily Somatropin in Children and Adolescents With Short Stature or Growth Failure Due to Growth Hormone Sufficient DisordersAscendis Pharma A/S
- Long Term Evaluation of Scapular-inserted Contraceptive ImplantsYale University
Research already completed
- SAPLAI : Assessing the faiSAbility of a Peer-to-peer Contraceptive Education Program on Social Networks Aimed at 15- to 19-year-old High School Students in GuAdeloupe and La RéunIonCentre Hospitalier Universitaire de la Réunion
- Conventional Versus Computer-Assisted Dental AnesthesiaUniversity of Montemorelos
- Randomized Study of an Analgesic Device Enabling Local Anesthetic Delivery and Neuromodulation After Shoulder/Foot SurgeryUniversity of California, San Diego
- A Comparative Study Between Rectal and Intrauterine Misoprostol Administration in the Reduction of Blood Loss During and After Elective Cesarean Delivery in Low Risk WomenCairo University
- Visual Aids for Induction of Labor RCTWashington University School of Medicine
- A 3-way Crossover Clinical Investigation to Assess the Performance of Two Different Sized Polyurethane Condoms Versus a Latex Condom in Healthy Monogamous Couples.Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Limited
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Birth ControlFood and Drug Administration
- Birth Control MethodsDepartment of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health
- Birth Control Options: Things to ConsiderMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- ContraceptionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Contraception and Birth ControlEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Effectiveness of Birth Control MethodsAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- What Are the Different Types of Contraception?Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Related Issues
- DouchingDepartment of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health
- Noncontraceptive Benefits of Birth Control PillsAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine
- Oral Contraceptives and Cancer RiskNational Cancer Institute
- Other Contraception and Birth Control FAQsEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Statistics and Research
- FastStats: Contraceptive UseNational Center for Health Statistics
- Key Statistics from the National Survey of Family Growth: VasectomyNational Center for Health Statistics
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: ContraceptionNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Family Planning ServicesNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Intrauterine DevicesNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Contraception. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Birth Control, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.