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Contraception/Birth Control
As a teenage girl or young woman, you
may be starting to think about what it means to be involved in a
sexual relationship. There are many things that you need to think
about before you decide to have sex, including whether this is the
right person, the right time in your life, and how you will feel
if the relationship breaks up. If you do decide to have sex, you
definitely need to think about how to prevent getting pregnant and
how to protect yourself from getting a Sexually Transmitted
Disease (STD). Keep reading to find out what type of contraception
is best for you and your partner.
You should talk to your parents,
guardian, a trusted adult, or your health care provider if you are
thinking about having a sexual relationship. It is a good idea to
discuss all of your choices and all of the concerns and worries
you may have so you can make good decisions. This can be a very
confusing time for you and it is always good to have someone to
talk to.
What types of contraception are
there?
There are many different types of
contraception that vary in how effective they are at preventing
pregnancy, how much they cost, how easy they are to use, and
whether they also protect against STDs. Using two types of
contraceptive methods, such as the birth control pill and condoms,
increases protection against both pregnancy and STDs. Males use
some types of contraception and females use other types of
contraception. If you are having a sexual relationship with a
male, it is good to know all about the different types of female
and male contraception. Together, you and your
partner should figure out the best choice for the two of you.
Whatever type of contraception one of you uses can have an effect
on the health of both people in the relationship. Only females can
get pregnant, but both males and females can get a sexually
transmitted disease (STD).
If you have sexual intercourse, you
are always at risk for pregnancy and STDs. But if you practice
safer sex with only one partner (who is uninfected and has no
other sexual partners) and you make good decisions about
contraception, you can greatly lower your risk. |