If you’ve texted, DMed, or spoken aloud the words “birth control” to your friends sometime in the last few years, you’ve probably seen ads proclaiming that there’s an app for that. Several companies promise that tracking your menstrual cycle with their app and their algorithm will help you prevent pregnancy — no hormones, implants, or IUD insertions required.

In a season four Black Mirror episode, one character (it isn’t a spoiler if I don’t say who, right?) attempts to end another’s pregnancy with emergency contraception in her breakfast smoothie. Folks, EC and abortion pills are two totally different things.

If you’ve used birth control pills for any length of time, you may have been told to take it at the exact same time every day to ensure effectiveness. Maintaining a consistent pill schedule at home is as easy as setting an alarm on your phone — but what happens when you travel across several time zones?

A recent study confirmed a link between breast cancer and hormonal birth control (including pills but also the patch, implant and some IUDs). Give yourself two seconds to freak out, then take a deep breath, and let's discuss.

Clue, one of the best period tracking apps out there, just added a new feature: You can now keep track of whether you've taken your birth control pills, and Clue will tell you what to do if you missed a dose.

A new form of male birth control, Vasalgel, is tantalisingly close to human trials -- but we've heard that story before. Let's take a look at some of the contraceptives for dudes that are languishing due to lack of funding.

With so many options for contraception, choosing the right one can be difficult. Iodine has a new comparison tool that includes survey results to help you figure out when the perks of a method beat the downsides.

If you're trying to start a family, fertility apps like Glow, Clue and Ovia predict the times of the month women are most likely to conceive. Using them should help you get pregnant -- if you know how to enter your information, and if your app is accurate.

If the condom broke, if you missed a pill, if you were assaulted and you're worried that a baby might result, you may still have time to prevent that pregnancy. You have to act fast (within days), and you have three options: an over-the-counter pill, a prescription pill, or a copper IUD. Any of these, taken in time, have a good chance of preventing pregnancy.

The Pill has become one of the most popular, and most effective birth control methods. But messing with your hormones can alter your sex life in positive and negative ways. Here's what you need to know, as a pill-taker or as the partner of one.

IUDs, or intra-uterine devices have seen a recent resurgence in popularity in recent years. If you're in need of pregnancy prevention, here's why you should consider getting one.

Birth control pills should be taken every day, at the same time -- but how precise do you have to be? It depends on the type of pill: for some, you have a day or two to realise your mistake. For others, you only have a window of a few hours.