It's something 98 percent of women use at some point in their lives, but how much do we really know about birth control? "There are lots of new options right now," says Dr. Logan Levkoff, who wants women to feel comfortable discussing the topic with their doctors. "It's stuff that we need to talk about because our health depends upon it!"

Dr. Levkoff advises asking lots of questions when you see your doctor, and to remember the impact that birth control can have on your future health. "We need to know what our birth control can and can not do. Chlamydia, for example, is a sexually transmitted infection that is the leading preventable cause of infertility among women," she explains. "When we think of birth control we think about the pill ... it's really important for us to still talk about condoms. At the end of the day, condoms are the only contraception that offer protection against sexually transmitted infections including H.I.V., and I think often times we forget that."

Dr. Levkoff warns that whichever form of birth control you choose it is critical to follow the instructions carefully or it may not do what you had anticipated: "It's only going to work if you use it consistently and correctly." To get you ready for your next checkup, Dr. Levkoff offers a range of birth control options:

NuvaRing®: "You insert it into the vagina and it releases hormones for three weeks at a time, and then after that last week you have a period — then you replace the ring."

I.U.D.: "Some have hormones in them, some do not, but they are inserted and implanted into the uterus by a doctor and they actually offer protection for five years or up to 12 years depending on the type of protection you use. It can be removed if it is not the right protection for you."

Diaphragm: "It's fitted by a doctor and gets inserted into the vagina, and you have to insert it before sex and you have to keep it in for about six to eight hours after sex ... if you don't want to take a hormonal mode of contraception than it's a good alternative for you!"

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Birth Control Options