Once you start to go through puberty, it’s possible to get pregnant or get someone pregnant, which is why it’s important to know about the different ways to prevent pregnancy.

When people talk about using contraception, they are talking about the use of medicine, a medical device or barrier method like a condom to keep a sperm and an egg from meeting.

Some contraception, like the contraceptive pill, ill, the contraceptive patch or the contraceptive injection are medication which keep the ovary from releasing an egg. Other methods create a barrier at the opening of the cervix to prevent the sperm from getting inside the uterus to find an egg. Choosing to not have or delaying sex, is the most effective form of contraception.

The contraceptive pill must be taken every day at about the same time. A packet of pills will last a month. They are very effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy if they are taken as directed. A young person needs to visit a young persons sexual health clinic or family planning clinic to get a prescription.

Many teens and young adults who use the contraceptive pill also use a condom to reduce the risk of STIs.