Birth control methods include hormonal contraceptives, such as pills, shots and patches. Each method and brand has a unique mixture of estrogen and progestin and delivery molecules that can potentially affect a fetus.

Condom use for pregnancy prevention and to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases dates back to ancient times. While modern condoms bear little resemblance to their historical counterparts, contraception and disease prevention remain the primary purposes for condom use. Condoms come in many varieties.

Yaz is a prescription birth control pill containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol. The medication works to prevent the ovary from releasing an egg during the menstrual cycle and changes the lining of the cervix and uterus so a fertilized egg will experience difficulty implanting in the uterus.

Approximately 99 percent of obstetricians and gynecologists believe that suppressing a menstrual period through the use of birth control pills is safe, according to a 2003 Gallop survey conducted by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Depo-Provera, also known as medroxyprogesterone acetate, is a highly effective form of birth control that contains synthetic progesterone.

The average length of your menstrual cycle, defined as the first day of menstrual bleeding to the first day of the next menstrual period, is 28 days. But the University of Michigan Health System says that the length of a cycle can vary from 21 to 35 or even 45 days.

Tubal ligation is preferred by women because of its effectiveness and convenience. It lacks the side effects associated with temporary birth control methods. This procedure is considered a permanent, although sometimes reversible, highly effective method of contraception.

Taking vitamin B-6 supplements will not cause birth control pills to lose their effectiveness. In fact, increasing your intake of vitamin B-6 while taking the pill may even prove beneficial, as birth control pills may lower levels of vitamin B-6 in the body for some women.

When eaten in normal, moderate amounts, foods are unlikely to interact with prescription birth control pills.

The combination of caffeine and birth control pills may generate a few mild side effects, including headaches, jitteriness and insomnia. Caffeine and birth control pills may also interact with other prescribed medications.

Most birth control pills contain estrogen, which disrupts the female body's hormonal cycle. When present in low levels, estrogen prevents the body from making two different hormones, called follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone.

Emergency contraception has the ability to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or when normal contraceptive methods fail. Utilizing this method does not interfere with birth control pills.