Find the best bil the control for you.(use and effectiveness of contraceptives)

Put an end to contraception contusion with Cosmo's easy-to-follow flowchart--and get back to the reason you need protection in the first place.

* If you're like most women, you picked your current contraceptive because your best friend or doctor suggested it. And most likely, you've stuck with it out of sheer habit--even if it means putting up with such annoying side effects as mood swings, messiness, and headaches. But sticking with a birth-control method that doesn't suit your lifestyle, relationship status, and specific health concerns could cause snafus--ones that can lead to an unwanted pregnancy or STD or, at the very least, put a serious damper on yours sex life. To find the type of contraception that's right for you, follow our flowchart. Then consult your gyno to get the final green light demystifying the methods

BOX A Condoms

A sheath made out of latex, lambskin, or polyurethane that covers his penis and collects semen

EFFECTIVENESS RATE: 86 percent*

PROS: Latex and polyurethane condoms are the only contraceptive that protect against most STDs, including HIV. Plus, condoms are easy to stash in a purse and are available without a prescription.

CONS: Little protection against herpes and HPV (human papillomavirus, or genital warts); can break if not put on or removed correctly (especially polyurethane ones); need a new one every time you do the deed. Some men and women complain that condoms dull sensation and can be messy. If you're allergic to latex, try polyurethane condoms.