Birth Control Barrier MethodsMedical Author:
Omnia M Samra, MD
Medical Editor:
Bryan D Cowan, MD
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
Lee P Shulman, MD
Birth Control Barrier Methods IntroductionThe practice of birth control or preventing pregnancy is as old as human existence. For centuries, humans have relied upon their imagination to avoid pregnancy.
Male CondomThe condom (also called a rubber) is a thin sheath placed over an erect penis. A man would put a condom over his penis before he places the penis in a womans vagina. A condom worn by a man prevents pregnancy by acting as a barrier to the passage of semen into the vagina. A condom can be worn only once. It is one of the most popular birth control barriers. You can buy condoms at most drugstores and grocery stores and dispensers can be found in public restrooms.
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Birth Control Barrier Methods
Is birth control right for me?
If you are of childbearing age, you may consider using a form of birth control to prevent becoming pregnant. The practice of preventing pregnancy is as old as human existence. For centuries, humans have attempted to avoid pregnancy at certain times of their lives to accommodate their careers, marital situations, and preferences.
Today, the voluntary control of fertility is of paramount importance to modern society. From a global perspective, countries currently face the crisis of rapid growth of the human population that has begun to threaten human survival.
Keep in mind that doubling time cannot be used to project future population size because it assumes a constant growth rate over decades when growth rates are constantly changing. Nevertheless, these figures do provide a picture of how fast the population is growing at present.
The ability to control whether and when you become pregnant can affect your abilit...
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Contraception »
The practice of contraception is as old as human existence.
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