Contraception is the set of methods developed for birth control and the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.
Prevention. There are various methods of birth control:
- Preventing the passage of sperm to the egg: condoms, diaphragms and intrauterine devices do this.
- Preventing a woman's ovaries from releasing eggs that can be fertilised: birth control pills help in this regard.
- Sterilization permanently prevents a woman from getting pregnant or, in men, impedes them from getting a woman pregnant.
Treatment. The type of birth control used depends on several factors: health, frequency of sexual activity, number of sexual partners and the desire to have children.