CONTRACEPTION

There are different forms of contraception. Generally, contraceptives can be distinguished based on whether they act as hormonal birth control (such as oral birth control pills, hormonal IUDs or implants) or non-hormonal birth control (such as condoms, diaphragm, or the copper IUD). Each contraceptive method has its own benefits and drawbacks, and they all have different levels of effectiveness with some being more reliable than others. While all methods provide an (at least minimal) measure of contraceptive protection, most do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In fact, until today, only condoms prevent transmission of STDs, such as HIV, gonorrhea or chlamydia.