Birth control (or contraception) is any regimen or medicine used to prevent pregnancy.

Most birth control options are used by people with internal reproductive anatomy such as a uterus, vulva, and vagina, while only a few options are available for those with external reproductive anatomy such as a penis and testes.

Health guidelines for transgender people are unfortunately an under-researched topic. Most existing guidelines are extremely binary and based on sex assigned at birth, which comprises anatomy, body composition, and hormones. The research doesn’t offer much guidance for non-binary or intersex individuals. Knowing whether to follow existing female or male guidelines can therefore be confusing and often requires the guidance and support of a health care provider.

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. Work, school, relationships, and daily hassles can often serve as stressors, or sources of stress. Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Good stress, or eustress, pushes us to work harder. When this stress becomes overwhelming or hard to manage, it’s called distress and can impact your health.

The main symptom of headaches is head pain. Though the majority of headaches are benign or not life-threatening, some may be an indicator of a more serious health issue.

Sexually transmitted infections are infections that are transmitted from person-to-person during anal, oral, or vaginal sex; genital skin-to-skin contact, or when fluids are exchanged from one person to another. This can occur via direct contact with the fluid or through the mutual use of sex toys.

Quitting nicotine and tobacco is no small feat—and sometimes quitting can be difficult to navigate. As you plan your quit journey, there are many different things to consider to make these next steps easier. This includes having an understanding of nicotine and tobacco, how to get started, and what supports you have available to you during your journey. 

If you’ve made the decision to quit nicotine, you might experience withdrawal and other unpleasant side effects. While this shouldn’t deter you from continuing your quit journey, there are some considerations when navigating nicotine withdrawal.

Sleep plays an integral role in maintaining physical and mental health. Not getting enough quality sleep can interfere with a person’s ability to store newly learned information, potentially leading to a negative impact on academic performance. In addition, sleep deprivation is associated with daytime sleepiness, depressed mood, impaired concentration and memory, and a weakened immune system.

Gender-affirming care (GAC) is an umbrella term for health care that aims to help a transgender or gender diverse person’s body better align with their gender identity. You might seek out GAC if you experience gender incongruence—when the gender you identify with conflicts with the sex you were assigned at birth. There are many different forms of GAC, including both lifestyle changes and medical interventions. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)—the organization often recognized as the gold standard for GAC— outline guiding recommendations for GAC. Additionally, it’s helpful to keep in mind that medical transition isn’t necessary to identify as transgender or gender diverse.

irming care (GAC) is an umbrella term for health care that aims to help a transgender or gender diverse person’s body better align with their gender identity. You might seek out GAC if you experience gender incongruence—the state in which the gender you identify with conflicts with the sex you were assigned at birth. There are many different forms of GAC, including both lifestyle changes and medical interventions. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)—the organization often recognized as the gold standard for GAC— outline guiding recommendations for GAC. Additionally, it’s helpful to keep in mind that medical transition isn’t necessary to identify as transgender or gender diverse.

Many people agree that communicating with others is scary. In fact, enough books on communication and relationships have been published to fill a library. When it comes to relating with fellow humans, there are a number of important factors to keep in mind:

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that develops in either the cervix itself or on the walls of the cervix. Most cervical cancer cases are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) which is passed during sex. While penile-vaginal sex is the most common route of transmission, HPV can also be spread during oral and anal sex. Often the early stages of cervical cancer go unnoticed. However, as the cancer grows, other symptoms begin to appear such as:

These methods attempt to block sperm from fertilizing an egg, either with a physical barrier or a substance that lowers the ability for sperm to swim and meet an egg. Some options can also reduce the chance of contracting or spreading STIs.

These methods are considered permanent birth control or voluntary sterilization options because they involve a surgical procedure that’s generally difficult or expensive to reverse. Additionally, reversing this procedure does not ensure that your fertility will return to pre-procedure levels. And it’s important to note that these options do not protect against STIs.

While lifestyle options are typically the least effective at preventing pregnancy—aside from abstinence—they are often the most cost effective. However, they might involve some planning or communication between sexual partners to prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg. Lifestyle methods of birth control do not prevent against STIs, so be sure to use a barrier method if you are looking for protection.

There’s a plethora of birth control options to choose from when it comes to medication and LARCs. What is available in these categories differs based on whether they contain hormones, how often they must be taken or renewed, and their effectiveness rate.