Birth Control Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ

Contraception can involve sterilization, the permanent prevention of a woman being able to get pregnant or a man's sperm from being able to impregnate a woman. Other types of contraception involve blocking the release of eggs from the ovaries or creating a barrier for sperm so that they are not able to reach the egg.

Oral contraceptives can have some health benefits. They may reduce the severity of menstrual cramps, improve acne, protect against iron deficiency anemia, and increase bone density. Oral contraceptive use may also reduce the risk of developing ovarian, endometrial, and colon cancers.

While some men complained of erection loss when using condoms, a study has shown that many of these men experienced problems with erections regardless of whether or not condoms were used.

Barrier methods of birth control are physical or chemical barriers that prevent sperm from passing through the woman's cervix into the uterus and fallopian tubes to fertilize an egg. Some methods also protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Condoms can help protects against sexually-transmitted infections, but most methods (such as diaphragms or oral contraceptives) do not.

Sterilization is an example of a permanent method of birth control. Such methods may be appropriate for people who are certain they no longer desire the ability to conceive a child.

A vasectomy is a surgical procedure blocks the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testes to the urethra. This prevents them from reaching the semen so that they cannot fertilize a woman's egg.

Oral contraceptive pills typically contain a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones.

Spermicides are chemicals that kill sperm. They are available as a cream, gel, or foam. Nonoxynol-9 is the chemical found in spermicide products.