Have you considered "fertility awareness" as a birth control method? It is a proven effective way to prevent getting pregnant and to get pregnant when you want to because it helps you understand your body! The best part is there are no side effects! Even if you don't choose to use it for birth control, it is still a great way to understand how your body works by tracking your fertility signals, and to detect problems when/if they occur. I have used it with success - all it takes is one minute each morning - and I feel great knowing that I have confidence in knowing how my body REALLY works.
I learned about this method by reading a book called "Garden of Fertility" by Katie Singer - it is a very down to earth explanation of fertility awareness, how to do it and how to interpret. I only heard about it after hearing an interview with her on the radio about 5 years ago - I have been using it on and off since I was 25, and now I'm 30. "Couple to Couple League" also teaches classes, but I think the book is a better place to start to get a secular explanation without the cost or commitment of a class. Like I said, if nothing else, you can understand yourself better! And, it stands repeating, there are NO side effects! You don't mess with your hormones, you just better understand how they work! :)
...it may also help to say that this IS NOT the rhythm method, which has been shown to have a strong failure rate. Also, some doctors know about and respect fertility awareness, especially those who are glad to have patients that exhibit active involvement in their own care and health, but unfortunately, too many doctors still confuse it with the old-school rhythm method and/or are not comfortable with patients taking responsibility for their health and well-being in such an active way (I've had both since I started tracking my fertility signs). In any case, I can't recommend this method strongly enough for preventing pregnancy, and the extreme value gained from understanding your body better - I had no idea what I didn't know! I would be glad to loan my copy to you, too, if you are interested but don't want to order it from Amazon or somewhere.
Take care and good health to you,
D.