Contraception is an inherent part of good health care for women. Emergency contraception (EC) is birth control used to prevent pregnancy after known or suspected failure of contraception or unprotected intercourse, including sexual assault. Women who use EC should be given additional opportunities to consider whether a more permanent or better method of contraception is warranted. Once adolescents have had a sexual experience, they may be even more open to reconsidering abstinence and should be encouraged to consider abstinence as a potential choice. Certain types of condoms provide some protection against sexually transmitted infections. Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are hormonal methods of birth control. For most women, pregnancy and/or abortion are associated with a greater risk of mortality and morbidity than oral contraceptives. Male sterilization is the most cost-effective contraceptive method, with a failure rate of 0.1 to 4%. Many circumstances affect a woman's access to contraception.