The Pill. NuvaRing. Diaphragm. Depo-Provera. The Patch. What do all of these birth control methods have in common? Well, they are all methods that young women—who are partnered with guys—can choose to use to prevent pregnancy. But what about the guys? What options do guys have to prevent pregnancy?

Condoms or…vasectomy? For those guys who want to keep the option to have children in the future, a vasectomy is likely not a good option. That leaves condoms as the only reversible birth control method that guys can use for themselves to prevent pregnancy. Condoms have the bonus of also being highly effective at preventing most sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), but some researchers are interested in finding additional contraceptive choices for guys to use, just as young women have multiple contraceptive options.

Guys, if a “male pill” were developed, do you think that you would use it? How do those of you in relationships discuss and choose methods of contraception? And what about protection from STDs? How might male-female relationships change if guys had more options for taking an active role in pregnancy prevention? Join us in the Forums to discuss these questions, along with other issues that affect teens’ sexual health.

Teen mom Bristol Palin is back in the spotlight, promoting abstinence as an ambassador for The Candie’s Foundation. She recently spoke to teens at a town hall meeting and talked about how becoming a teen mom has changed her life. See what she had to say:

We think it’s great that Bristol is speaking publicly about her experience as a teen mom. But is her message confusing? In an interview on Wednesday with Good Morning America, Bristol said “I just want to go out there and promote abstinence and say this is the safest choice.” Yet she told Fox News earlier this year that abstinence is “not realistic at all.”

It’s absolutely true that abstinence is the only 100-percent effective way to prevent both pregnancy and STDs. And Bristol’s suggestion that teens wait as long as they can to have sex is great advice. But with teen birth rates on the rise and young people at a higher risk for STDs, is it irresponsible to tell teens “just say no,” while leaving out important info on condoms and other forms of birth control?

Maybe teens can learn a lesson from Levi Johnston, the father of Bristol’s baby. Here’s what he said in response to Bristol’s abstinence-only campaign:

May isn’t just about warmer weather and gearing up for prom. It’s also Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about unplanned teen pregnancy and how to prevent it.

Did you know that the United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy and teen birth rates in the industrialized world? And one-third of girls get pregnant by age 20, according to the Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Too many teens think “it could never happen to me.” But the truth is that unplanned pregnancy can happen to anyone. That’s why it’s so important to wait if you haven’t had sex yet. And even if you have had sex, if you realize you’re just not ready for the responsibility of preventing a pregnancy and protecting yourself from STDs, then wait until you know that you can handle it. And if you’ve chosen to have sex, make sure you talk to your partner about using condoms and other forms of birth control—and then use them.

StayTeen.org and The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy challenge you to take their National Day Quiz to see how you’d respond to sexual situations that put you at risk of pregnancy. And check out their Relationship Reality widget below for a chance to win an iPod touch or plane tickets!

You should always be prepared with condoms and other forms of birth control if you plan on having sex. But we also know that you’re human, and mistakes happen. It only takes one moment of unprotected sex to get pregnant. If you’ve had unprotected sex and aren’t ready for the responsibility of having a baby, you do have an option—emergency contraception, or Plan B.

Plan B, the “morning-after pill,” is 75- to 89-percent effective at preventing a pregnancy when taken within 72 hours (3 days), though you can take it up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex. The sooner you take it, the better.

Until recently, Plan B was available over the counter if you were 18 or older. Teens under 18 could get Plan B with a prescription. But a recent FDA decision will soon allow 17-year-olds to get Plan B over the counter, too! Sex, Etc. staff writer Emily went to her pharmacy to see what it’s like to buy Plan B. Read her story, “The Long Walk to the Pharmacy.”

Allowing 17-year-olds to get Plan B over the counter will hopefully lead to fewer unplanned pregnancies. Plan B should only be used as a last resort, so it’s important to have a Plan A. What’s your Plan A? Tell us how you make sure you’re protected from both unplanned pregnancy and STDs.

When you hear the word “condom,” you probably think of the male condom. But did you know that there’s a female condom, too? The female condom is the only form of birth control designed for women that protects against both pregnancy and STDs. So why isn’t the female condom as popular as the male condom? It might have to do with price.

Female condoms cost between $2.80 and $4 each! That’s super expensive, considering that male condoms can cost as little as 50 cents each. But a new, cheaper female condom was recently approved. And they may cost as little as 60 cents when sold to clinics and health organizations.

What does that mean for you? It means that when this new female condom hits the market in a year or two, you’ll have one more affordable option when deciding how to protect yourself from pregnancy and STDs. For girls, the female condom is great—it’s designed specifically for women and even protects the labia from skin-on-skin STD transmission! Of course, not having sex will keep you completely safe from pregnancy and STDs. But for partners that decide to have sex, the female condom might be something to consider.

In the future you might see more female condoms alongside male condoms at the pharmacy. If female condoms were as accessible and inexpensive as male condoms, would you use them?