Contraception

Birth control, also known as contraception and fertility control, is a method or device used to prevent pregnancy.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Contraceptive Vaginal Ring

Oral contraception is a very popular means of contraception with a very high efficacy. However, it is necessary to be fully compliant with the regime to reap its full contraceptive benefits.

How Does the Progestogen-only Pill Work?

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Contraceptive Implants?

How Does The Combined Pill Work?

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Contraceptive Patch

How is the Contraceptive Implant Put in and Taken Out?

How to insert a diaphragm, cap or vaginal ring

How Effective are Different Types of Contraception?

How Does the Contraceptive Implant Work?

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Combined Pill

Blood Clot Risk and the Oral Contraceptive Pill

See more featured articles »

The Effects of Continuous Contraceptive Pill Taking

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Progestogen-Only Pill (POP)

IUS: Advantages and Disadvantages

Do Contraceptive Injections Affect Bones?

Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) Types

IUD: Advantages and Disadvantages

Male Condom versus Female Condom

How Does the Contraceptive Vaginal Ring Work?

Does Breastfeeding Act as a Contraceptive?

Natural Family Planning: Advantages and Disadvantages

What is the Contraceptive Patch?

Natural Family Planning: an Overview

Types of Combined Birth Control Pills

The Male Contraceptive Pill: is it possible?

Intrauterine Device (IUD) and Intrauterine System (IUS) Differences

Condoms - Advantages and Disadvantages

Latest Contraception News and Research

New guidance expands reproductive care for people with cystic fibrosis

For much of the history of cystic fibrosis (CF) care, reproductive health was not a major part of the conversation. Fertility challenges were the norm for men and women with this genetic disorder, and many grew up assuming biological parenthood was not possible.

23 Oct 2026

$8.2 million grant advances on-demand male contraceptive development

Weill Cornell Medicine has received a four-year, $8.2 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to develop and test an experimental on-demand male contraceptive pill that temporarily stops sperm in their tracks

22 Oct 2026

New study set to examine how internal body signals impact mental health

Psychologists at the University of Surrey are inviting volunteers to take part in a unique new study examining how the brain processes bodily signals, like heartbeats or hunger (interoception), and whether it is connected to a person's mental health over time.

12 Oct 2026

Women with bipolar disorder and regular cycles report worse premenstrual symptoms

Researchers have found that women with bipolar disorder who have regular menstrual cycles are more likely to report severe premenstrual symptoms than those with irregular cycles, according to preliminary research being presented at the 2026 ECNP Congress in Munich.

11 Oct 2026

Epilepsy drugs may reduce effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives

People with epilepsy who use certain hormonal birth control methods may be at risk for reduced contraceptive effectiveness because of interactions with certain antiseizure medications, according to a study published October 7, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

7 Oct 2026

Real-world data reveals higher reported GLP-1 side effects in female patients

The second of a Series of papers presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) and published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women's Health discusses the wide-ranging issues relating to use of GLP-1 RA drug use in women.

1 Oct 2026

Mifepristone offers effective emergency contraception with fewer side effects

Emergency contraception containing mifepristone prevents more pregnancies with fewer side effects than some other common emergency contraceptive pills such as levonorgestrel, according to a new Cochrane review involving 87 trials.

20 Sep 2026

Male contraception has barely changed in a century. What comes next?

A review traces more than 5,000 years of male contraception, from early penile sheaths and the development of modern condoms and vasectomy to today's search for reversible alternatives. Researchers are now testing hormonal gels, non-hormonal compounds and vas-occlusive technologies, although these approaches remain at different stages of preclinical and clinical development.

15 Sep 2026

Liberian women face long waits for urgent fistula surgery

For more than three years, Lorpu has lived with the constant leakage of urine and faeces caused by obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury.

11 Sep 2026

Ovulation drives women to use conspicuous luxury to attract men

Hormonal fluctuations associated with fertility are associated with a greater tendency for women to use conspicuous luxury symbols, potentially to be noticed by men, according to a study published September 2, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Aekyoung Kim of Jeonbuk National University of the Republic of Korea, and colleagues.

4 Sep 2026

Progesterone levels linked to brain patterns underlying mood changes

The influence of the hormone progesterone on mood is well known. Now researchers from the University of Barcelona have shown how higher levels of progesterone during the menstrual cycle are linked to less distinct patterns of activity in areas of the brain involved in controlling emotions.

2 Sep 2026

First consensus guidelines outline GLP-1 medication use during pregnancy

As the use of GLP-1 and other incretin-based medications for obesity continues to grow worldwide, researchers at Marshall University have contributed to an international effort to address one of medicine's most pressing unanswered questions: How should these medications be used by women before, during and after pregnancy?

3 Aug 2026

Review highlights pregnancy and miscarriage rates among transmasculine people

A recent review of published research provides some evidence that a small but noteworthy minority of transmasculine people (trans, nonbinary, and other gender expansive people who were assigned female at birth) have pregnancies (6%–9%) and children (4%–9%), including after transition.

8 Jul 2026

Recognizing perinatal heart failure early reduces life-threatening risks

Early detection and timely treatment of heart failure in pregnant or postpartum women are crucial to prevent serious complications, such as irregular heartbeat, stroke and death, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement, "Heart Failure Occurring in the Perinatal Period."

25 Jun 2026

Lifetime estrogen exposure linked to improved brain health in women

Researchers from the University of Kansas have shown a link between reproductive hormone exposure throughout life and brain health in 459 women aged 65 to 80.

23 Jun 2026

The menstrual cycle changes heart-rate variability but not strength

Menstrual cycle phases influence heart autonomic regulation, showing HRV variations, yet muscle performance and mood states remain largely unchanged.

23 Jun 2026

Pharmacist-led care delivering real results for women’s health

Pharmacy Guild of Australia, NSW Branch, today welcomed the release of new data from two NSW Government-sponsored clinical trials confirming allowing pharmacists to diagnose and treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) and providing resupply of oral contraception is delivering safe, effective care for women, while easing pressure on the health system and saving emergency departments millions of dollars.

1 Jun 2026