Birth Control Hormonal MethodsMedical Author:
M Samra, MD
Medical Editor:
Bryan D Cowan, MD
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
Lee P Shulman, MD
Birth Control Hormonal Methods Introduction"The pill" was introduced in the United States in 1962 and signaled a new era for women and their ability to control their fertility. The pill remains the leading birth control method used by women younger than 30 years of age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Longer-acting implants, injections, rings, and patches that use hormones to prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs or to create a poor environment for sperm to fertilize an egg are also available. The ultimate decision of which birth control method to use is best made by each individual woman in consultation with her health care provider. Each method has risks, benefits, advantages, and disadvantages. |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Women's Health Resources
Featured Centers
- Ask the Nutritionist: Weight Loss Tips
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Gout: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Birth Control Hormonal Methods
Birth Control Introduction
The practice of birth control or preventing pregnancy is as old as human existence. For centuries, humans have relied upon their imagination to avoid pregnancy.
- Egyptian ancient writings dating back to 1850 BC refer to techniques using a device placed in a woman’s vagina made of crocodile dung and fermented dough, which most likely created a hostile environment for sperm. Other items placed in the vagina included plugs of gum, honey, and acacia.
- During the early second century in Rome, a highly acidic concoction of fruits, nuts, and wool was placed on the cervix as a type of spermicidal barrier.
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. According to the Population Refe...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Contraception »
The practice of contraception is as old as human existence.
Featured Topics
Medical Dictionary
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick,
easy,
pill identification
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including
24 hour
pharmacies
