Oral contraceptives are the second most common form of birth control in the U.S., with nearly 13% of women on birth control using it. The Pill may also help lessen period cramps and heavy bleeding.

Like other types of hormonal birth control, vaginal rings are about 91% effective. These flexible plastic rings are inserted into your vagina, where they stay for several weeks, releasing hormones.

When you're deciding what form of birth control to use, it's important to go over all of your options. When comparing, you may want to consider how effective one form will be over extended periods ...

A birth control implant (such as the name brand, Nexplanon) is inserted into the skin of the upper arm. The thin, flexible, rod-like structure releases the hormone progestin into the body.

Now that you know how the hormones in birth control can impact your body, here are the different types of contraceptives and how those hormones work within them. The pill Image: chaipanya ...

But if you’re looking at just the types of birth control that you’d get from a pharmacy or doctor, there is still a lot to choose from, and it’s far from one type suits all.

Pros: There are only two methods of birth control that offer STD protection, and this is one of them. You can also buy it at drugstores, no doctors or prescriptions required.

The company has 15 different types of birth control pills, including combination and progestin-only. They also have two types of pills for emergency contraception.

There are many types of birth control. Some may fit better with your lifestyle or goals, but knowing which is most effective can help you make an informed choice. Birth control works best when ...

How long it takes for condoms, birth control pills, and other types of birth control to expire You can take Plan B up to 120 hours after unprotected sex, but that's not when it's the most effective ...

About two years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the ...

What you might pay: Depending on insurance, $0 to $1,300 Those who like the apply-it-and-forget-it nature of the hormonal IUD but who want non-hormonal birth control can consider the copper IUD.