Contraception

Our ability to prevent or delay pregnancy is central to our freedom to shape our lives. The Pill and other reliable birth control methods have enabled women around the world to complete our educations, pursue our dreams, and create more egalitarian relationships. Most of us want contraceptives that are effective, safe, and simple to use. We want them to protect us against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. While there is no perfect method of birth control for all people, advances in technology continue to create more choices. It is more likely than ever that we can find an option that meets our individual needs.

It can be very hard to get accurate information on reproduction and birth control methods, both in the United States and worldwide. This is in large part because birth control, like abortion and sex education, has been politicized. Anti-feminists oppose comprehensive sexuality education. Conservative and fundamentalist religious forces are against safe, reliable, freely available birth control. Further, powerful global funders make sure that long-acting contraceptive methods like the IUD are the only methods available to millions of poor women in the global south, even when more appropriate methods exist. Offering women the full range of modern birth control options would require investing in public health rather than pushing profitable “quick fixes'' such as the IUD and the shot.

This section provides detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information on each method of birth control. It also addresses questions and concerns such as how to choose the best fitting method of birth control, how to communicate about birth control with a partner, and what obstacles may keep us from protecting ourselves from unwanted pregnancy.