Birth Control Effectiveness

Birth control methods are surely a boon for couples who are not very keen to have children for a few years or those who are happy with a small family. Moreover, there are various family planning methods that couples can choose according to their convenience. However, there have been many cases where women have become pregnant even after using contraception. Such cases bring a doubt in people's minds as to are birth control methods really effective. Hence, this article is an effort to find the truth behind birth control effectiveness.

Birth Control Against Pregnancy
Amongst all the different types of birth control methods, the one which is most effective is abstinence. However, not everyone can adopt this method to prevent pregnancy and have to adopt the other ways of family planning. The effectiveness of most of the birth control methods depends on its proper and consistent usage. It has been seen that the most common cause of birth control ineffectiveness is incorrect or improper use of that method. So, let us take a look at effectiveness of birth control since it is a popular family planning method.

Birth Control Pills
Birth control pills are one of the most commonly used family planning methods. The birth control pills are a combination of progesterone and estrogen hormones and are available in packs of 21 as well as 28 pills. These pills have to be taken everyday and help in preventing unwanted pregnancy in three ways. The pills either stops ovulation or thickens the cervical mucus so that the sperms are not able to reach the egg. Apart from this, it also prevents fertilization from occurring. The effectiveness of birth control pills can be anywhere between 92% to 99.7%. The reason why the pills can prove ineffective is because of improper intake. Women who make the mistake of not taking the pill every single day can risk getting pregnant. As forgetting to take the pill is quite a common occurrence, it is said that at least 8 in 100 women have the chance of getting pregnant in a year. Other than this, there is a common belief that the effectiveness of the pills decreases when they are taken with antibiotics. However, effectiveness of birth control with antibiotics can only be determined after knowing what type of antibiotics one is taking. The antibiotics due to which the effectiveness of pills can decrease include rifampin, ampicillin, penicillin, etc. Hence, it will be best to consult your physician before taking any antibiotics.

Condoms
Condoms can be said to be the most used contraceptive mainly because they are quite inexpensive as well as readily available. Another advantage of using condoms is because they help in protecting a person from sexually transmitted diseases and do not have any side effects. However, it cannot be said to be the perfect birth control method because pregnancy has occurred even after using a condom. Just like all other contraceptive methods, the main reason for ineffectiveness of condoms is due to not using it properly. It has been observed that when the condoms are not used properly, the chances of protection is only 85% whereas if it is used correctly, only 2 women in 100 are likely to get pregnant in a year. On the other hand, the effectiveness of female condoms is less than the male condoms. When it comes to female condoms, the effectiveness can be anywhere between 79% to 95%.

Birth Control Shot
The birth control shot is also a contraceptive method that is soon gaining popularity. It is a type of hormonal birth control where a woman gets progestin (same as progesterone) which lasts for 12 weeks. The hormone progestin helps in stopping ovulation and also prevents the development of the uterine lining due to which it become impossible for a person to become pregnant. The effectiveness of this birth control method will depend on whether the woman is taking the shots regularly. If she misses one shot, the chances of conception increases considerably. Also, intake of some other medications can decrease the effectiveness of birth control shots. However, if these shots are taken properly, only 3 in 100 women have a chance of becoming pregnant in a year's time.

Apart from this, many people want to know about how effective are birth control methods during their periods. The answer to this question is that birth control effectiveness during periods is very high. In other words, it is very unlikely for a woman to become pregnant during her periods with or without using protection. Now you know that apart from abstinence, effectiveness of birth control method is not 100%, it would be better to make use of birth control measures very carefully or use multiple contraceptives at the same time to prevent the occurrence of unwanted pregnancy.