Five contraceptive methods you should know about!

India is predicted to overtake China as the world's most populous nation by 2050.

Zee News Bureau

New Delhi: With 1.27 billion population, India is currently the second most populous country in the world. What's even worse is that the country is predicted to overtake China as the world's most populous nation by 2050. Problem of population, which is already a major mess for the country, has no doubt proved to be a big obstacle in economic development success.

But, the good thing is that there are many safe and effective birth control methods available to us today, which will also help reduce the burden on the country. Here are five methods of contraception you should know about:

Male condoms

This condom is generally made of very thin latex or polyurethane and fits over a man's erect penis.

Female condoms

This condom is thin, flexible plastic pouches and is made of polyurethane or nitrile polymer. The condom is inserted into a woman's vagina before intercourse to prevent pregnancy. Condoms also protect against sexually transmissible infections (STIs).

Diaphragms

A diaphragm is a shallow, flexible cup made of latex or soft rubber. It is inserted into the vagina before intercourse to block sperm from entering the uterus. However, it must always be used with spermicide.

Cervical caps

A cervical cap is a thin silicone cup that is inserted into a woman's vagina before intercourse to block sperm from entering the uterus. It is similar to diaphragms, but smaller, more rigid, and less noticeable.

Oral contraceptive pills

Oral contraceptives are medications taken by mouth to prevent pregnancy. Modern day women swear by the effectiveness and advantages of this hormonal methods, which are more convenient as compared to barrier methods. Oral contraceptives, abbreviated OCPs, also known as birth control pills, are hormonal preparations that may contain combinations of the hormones estrogen and progestin or progestin alone.

World Population day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. This year's theme is 'Investing in teenage girls.'