Given the fact that birth control methods have been around since the dawn of time (seriously, condoms made from animal-derived materials were first used around 3,000 B.C.) and many of the modern methods of pregnancy prevention, such as the birth control pill, have been used since the early 1960s, you'd think we'd have a solid understanding of how they work. But, like many other things involving the female body, birth control is still surrounded by an air of mystery, even by those who've been using it for decades.
"Many women learn about their birth control options from their friends, sisters, mothers or have no idea at all, which may perpetuate misinformation and further create misunderstandings surrounding birth control," explains Tiffany Hunter, MD, OB/GYN at Northern Obstetrics & Gynecology in North Hills, New York.
Considering that 60 percent of U.S. women of reproductive age are currently using some form of contraception, with 15.9 percent on the pill and 8 percent using long-acting reversible contraception (L.A.R.C.), we should probably get our facts straight. We asked top OB/GYNs to debunk some of the most common myths about birth control that many of us still believe.
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