Birth Control Made Easier

Listen up, ladies: Many of you aren't using birth control...and we know why! A new federal report says the percentage of women who don't want to get pregnant and yet aren't doing anything to prevent it has grown by 43 percent between 1995 and 2002. If you're one of the 4.6 million women playing pregnancy roulette, these are solutions to your contraception conundrums.

Why you blow it off Worrying about it daily is a drag, and hey, you haven't gotten pregnant so far.

The solution Opt for the birth control patch, Depo-Provera shots or the vaginal ring, all of which last for at least a week or even months at a time. You can't count on being lucky. "Like the stock market, past performance doesn't guarantee anything," says Jeffrey Jensen, M.D., director of women's health research at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland.

Why you blow it off It's expensive! Your plan doesn't cover you, or the co-pay is too high.

The solution If you can, sign up for a flexible-spending account, which allows you to pay for prescriptions and co-pays with pretax dollars. Or go to a Planned Parenthood clinic, where you'll likely be charged on a sliding scale. In the meantime, condoms are your best bet: They're usually less than a buck apiece.

Why you blow it off You don't have sex regularly enough to plan for it.

The solution C'mon, slipping a couple of condoms in your purse is easy enough. Also, write down this website name: Not-2-Late.com. In the event of a mishap and your doctor can't be reached, log on to find out where you can get emergency contraception that can work 72 hours or more after intercourse.