The Whole Truth about Contraception: A Guide to Safe and Effective Choices

What birth control method is most reliable? Can contraceptives protect me from AIDS? How can I choose the method that's best for me? Finding the answers to these and other questions about birth control can be tough. On the one hand, today's sexually active person has many contraceptive options. On the other hand, each option has pluses and minuses that must be weighed.

For teenagers especially, asking questions about birth control can be awkward and difficult. Yet teenagers may be in greatest need of the facts.

While there is no "right" method for everyone, The Whole Truth About Contraception is the right book for anyone making decisions about contraception―men and women, from teenagers to middle-agers. It illustrates male and female anatomy and explains how conception occurs. The book carefully describes the birth control methods available today: barrier (such as condoms and diaphragms), hormonal (the Pill and Norplant), intrauterine devices, surgical sterilization, and other approaches such as the "rhythm" method and breastfeeding as a contraceptive.

For each method the authors discuss how well it prevents pregnancy, its potential effects on the user's health, and common problems. Illustrated "how to" sections are provided, and the authors comment on how each method typically affects sexual experience. The book also discusses how birth control products can be obtained and their cost.

Precautions, tips on usage, and other features throughout the book will help each reader decide what type of contraception is best for his or her age, personal preferences, and situation in life.

The Whole Truth About Contraception gives up-to-date information on new products, such as the female condom and the nonlatex male condom. The book provides details about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases, with an emphasis on AIDS.

Also offered is an expanded discussion of "emergency" contraception, designed for use after unprotected sex. The book includes a full and factual discussion of abortion.

Contraception may be the most important and deeply personal choice anyone has to make. This book provides the straight facts that will make the decision easier―and the results better for everyone.

• FRONT MATTER
• INTRODUCTION
• 1 THE BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
• 2 THE MALE CONDOM
• 3 THE FEMALE CONDOM
• 4 THE DIAPHRAGM
• 5 THE CERVICAL CAP
• 6 SPERMICIDES
• 7 THE PILL: COMBINED ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES
• 8 THE PILL: PROGESTIN-ONLY PILLS (POPs)
• 9 NORPLANT
• 10 DEPO-PROVERA
• 11 INTRAUTERINE DEVICES (IUDs)
• 12 FEMALE STERILIZATION: TUBAL OCCLUSION
• 13 MALE STERILIZATION: VASECTOMY
• 14 CYCLE-BASED FERTILITY AWARENESS METHODS
• 15 WITHDRAWAL
• 16 EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
• 17 BREASTFEEDING AND CONTRACEPTION
• 18 ABORTION
• SOURCES
• INDEX