Of the 42 million American women who are sexually active, 3 million this year will give birth to babies they never planned for, according to The Alan Guttmacher Institute. The National Academy of Sciences reports 6 in 10 of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned.

Yet, most women who unintentionally find themselves in the family way do, in fact, practice birth control. The problem is they are using birth control either inconsistently or incorrectly.

The more you know about birth control options and your own personal preferences in lovemaking, the better your chances of avoiding an unwanted pregnancy and reducing your risks of getting a sexually transmitted disease, including AIDS.

Choosing a method

Begin by asking yourself the following questions:

• What would be the consequences of a pregnancy in my life right now?

How you answer this question will likely depend on your age and your individual circumstances. If a new baby spells disaster for you, then consider using the most efficient forms of birth control so that you will have the least risk of becoming pregnant.

• Do I have access to a doctor or clinic that can help me get prescribed birth control, or do I need it immediately and cannot wait for an appointment?

If you need it now, then head for your local pharmacy to buy condoms and spermicide. Then if you can, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider if you wish to use a prescribed form of birth control.

• Am I likely to interrupt sex to apply birth control?

If you know that once you get going, you probably won't stop, consider using a form of birth control that can be applied before lovemaking, or one that is in place all of the time so that it's ready when you are.

• How often do I need birth control?

Although a woman can become pregnant at any time, if you have a steady partner and are sexually active on a frequent basis, your risks of becoming pregnant are far greater than someone who only engages in intercourse a couple of times a year. If you have sex very infrequently, then you may not choose to use the pill, which protects against pregnancy every day of the year. But those decisions will also depend on a number of other factors.

• What are the available options, and which am I most likely to use every time?

You may be in for a few surprises! Birth control methods that were still being tested 15 years ago, like the cervical cap, are now on the market. On the other hand, if at one time you used a contraceptive sponge like Today®, that choice is no longer available to you (but representatives from Allendale Pharmaceutical Co. say the Today Sponge product should become available again in the very near future, pending FDA approval).