Sexual lifestyle, birth control.

Birth control works to prevent pregnancy in different ways, depending upon the type of birth control you choose:

• Female or male sterilization surgery prevents the sperm from reaching the egg by cutting or damaging the tubes that carry sperm (in men) or eggs (in women).
• Long-acting reversible contraceptives or "LARC" methods (intrauterine devices, hormonal implants) prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs; prevent sperm from getting to the egg, or make implantation of the egg in the uterus (womb) unlikely.
• Short-acting hormonal methods, such as the pill, mini-pill, patch, shot, and vaginal ring, prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs or prevent sperm from getting to the egg.
• Barrier methods, such as condoms, diaphragms, sponge, cervical cap, prevent sperm from getting to the egg.
• Natural rhythm methods involve avoiding sex or using other forms of birth control on the days when you are most fertile (most likely to get pregnant).