In the world of birth control, there are a whole lot of options that you can consider for yourself or your partner to make practicing safe sex easy and fun!

If you are currently on birth control and are considering other options or are just now looking to get on birth control for the first time, there are a number of primary forms of birth control that you should consider. Here are 4 of the most common options that you should be considering if you are looking to take control of your safe sex life!

The male condom

This is probably the most common form of birth control throughout the world thanks to its ease to get as well as its effectiveness against both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Male condoms are typically made of latex or polyurethane and is placed on and over the male penis before intercourse.

Condoms are considered to be around 82 percent effective, which isn’t great but is certainly better than pull-out or withdrawal methods.

The intrauterine device (IUD)

The intrauterine device – or IUD or coil for short – is a small, flexible T-shaped device that a physician places inside the female uterus. There are two types of IUD’s that women can choose from.

The copper IUD releases copper which acts as a spermicide. This type of IUD can last up to 10 years and requires little to no work on the end of the either the male or female partner.

The hormonal IUD contains progestin which prevents sperm from reaching the egg to fertilize it by thickening the cervical mucus and thinning the uterine wall.

Depending on the type, an IUD can last anywhere from 3 to 10 years. This method is over 99 percent effective.

Contraceptive pill

The combined contraceptive pill is a pill that is taken daily by a woman interested in practicing intercourse without having to worry about getting pregnant. Contraceptive pills contain two hormones that reduce the risk of contraception by approximately 91 to 95 percent depending on the specific type.

The way contraceptive pills work is by using the two hormones to both stop the release of the egg, or ovulation. They also make the lining of the uterus thinner, making it far less able to support the early stages of fetal development.

If you are interested in considering different contraceptive pill delivery services, consider hers vs Nurx as two of the most popular delivery services currently in the market.

The Morning After Pill

Emergency contraceptives or “the morning after pill” is typically used by those who fear that previously performed unprotected sex may result in an unwanted pregnancy. This form of contraception prevents ovulation, fertilization or implantation of an embryo.

It is different from other medical methods of termination because other methods such as an abortion act after the egg is already implanted into the womb.

The important thing to consider when it comes to this form of contraception is that it should be used within 72 hours of the intercourse. It is 95 percent effective before that benchmark, but that falls to just 60 percent effective after 72 hours have passed.