In the most basic form layman can think of birth control as methods or ways that can be used for preventing the birth of a child. It involves the deliberate use of certain actions, tools or the use of medicines so as to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant. Birth control has become a necessity in modern world so as to check the growth of ever-increasing population, family planning and to also to prevent women from unwanted pregnancy.

Various methods can be utilized for implementing birth control. These can be either preventive or abortion. Preventive methods of birth control include in its simplest form the withdrawal method. Barrier methods such as use of condom, cervical cap, diaphragm or contraceptive sponge can also be used. There are various chemical methods also, such as, contraceptive pills, contraceptive patch and the progesterone-only-pill (POP).Also there are intrauterine and fertility awareness methods and others.

Besides using preventive methods one can also utilize abortion methods in case protection was not utilized properly. These can be surgical abortion, chemical abortion and herbal abortifacients to get rid of unwanted pregnancy. There are some permanent birth control solutions also.

Contraceptive pills and condoms are the most widely used birth control methods. Contraceptive pills, taken orally by women, consist of hormones estrogen or progesterone. Though mostly reliable, these pills can have certain side-effects such as headache and obesity. Condoms were designed primarily to be used by men but now female condoms are also available. They serve two purposes: birth control and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS and others.

Contraceptive patches, sold under the name Ortho Evra in US and Canada, are becoming quite popular there. It is applied by women to their skin for a week where it produces synthetic hormones to prevent pregnancy.

Proper selection of birth control method is an important task; and with innovation in sciences host of other birth control methods are likely to come up in coming years.