Test Your Birth Control Knowledge - My Contraception Quiz is Waiting

An unplanned pregnancy is always the possibility whenever there is the opportunity for a sperm and egg to meet. Although no birth control method (except abstinence) is 100% effective in preventing a pregnancy, using contraception greatly reduces your chance of being affected by one. Also, the use of birth control lessens the probability of having an abortion by 85%.

For nearly a quarter century, the division in politics concerning abortion has basically hindered meaningful discussion of family planning programs and policy in the United States. Research has demonstrated the undeniable relationship between birth control use use, unplanned pregnancy and abortion, and such research has been attributed to the growing recognition of birth control as a critical prevention strategy. An unplanned pregnancy can have far-reaching consequences for women, families and society at large.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, closely spaced births and childbearing very early or late in a woman's reproductive life can have negative health consequences for mothers and their children. Plus unplanned pregnancy, especially among teenagers, can hamper a young woman's ability to complete her education and participate successfully in the workforce.

Birth control use among American women significantly increased during the 1980s and the mid-1990s, and the unplanned pregnancy rate (as well as the abortion rate) declined. Unfortunately, newer data appears to indicate that this progress has come to a stop, and suggests that if current levels continue, nearly half of all American women will face an unintended pregnancy at some point in their lives.

The message is clear, contraception works! It may not be full-proof, but using it can greater your chances of not becoming part of this alarming statistic. The more you know about birth control, the more control you will have over deciding if and when you want to become pregnant. Accurate information is key. How much do you know about the available methods of birth control?

• Birth Control and Sex Myths
• Take my Birth Control Quiz to find out how much you know!

_{Birth Control Photo © 2007 Dawn Stacey licensed to About.com, Inc.}