Health experts agree that various forms of birth control including oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and skin patches are the safest and most effective way to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancies. Women should learn all there is to know about birth control before starting it. However, there are a few surprising facts about birth control that women may not hear in their doctor’s office.

1. Birth control can influence which men a woman is attracted to based on their genetic makeup.

2. 95 percent of all unintended pregnancies are the result of inconsistent birth control use.

3. Birth control does not cause weight gain among women who take it.

4. Medical benefits of oral contraceptive include less acne, less, cramping, less menstrual flow, less excess body hair, lower cancer risk, fewer ectopic pregnancies, osteoporosis protection, lower risk of inflammatory disease.

5. While oral contraceptive is the most popular form of birth control in the United States, more people use IUDs worldwide.

6. The majority of 28-day oral contraceptive regimens contain seven placebo pills.

7. There is no medical time limit for how long you can take oral contraceptives.

8. Women in ancient times used Silphium, a plant from the parsley family, as birth control. It became extinct due to overharvesting.

9. There are forms of birth control used to lower pigeon and geese populations.

10. Men who take birth control intended for women run the risk of larger breasts, less facial hair, smaller testicles, and a lower sex drive.

11. Although there is currently no male oral contraceptive, a birth control pill for men is currently in development.