Effectiveness of Birth Control

Birth control has always been a controversial topic and is considered to be a taboo in many religions. But with the change in time and outlook of the people more and more people are adopting birth control methods. In this article, I will cover the description of some of the most common means of birth control adopted by women across the world and their effectiveness.

Effectiveness of Birth Control

Male Condom

The condoms were approved by the FDA only in 1995 but they were available right from 1989. This is probably the most common method of birth control adopted by couples across the world. Condoms are latex or polyurethane sheaths that are placed over the erect penis to block the passage of sperm. They are very convenient to use and are discarded after a single use. They are about 89% effective and about 11 in 100 women become pregnant despite their male partner using a condom during the intercourse. Some of the side effects include irritation and allergic reactions both in the male and female. After abstinence, this is the most effective means to prevent transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.

Oral Contraceptives – Combined Pill

These pills help prevent ovulation by the combined use of the estrogen and progestin hormones. A chewable form of these pills was approved by the FDA in November 2003. It is 99% effective and only 1 or 2 women in 100 become pregnant despite using these pills. These pills have to be taken daily irrespective of the frequency of the intercourse. There can be a few side effects because of these pills including dizziness, nausea, changes in the menstruation cycle and in some rare cases cardiovascular diseases.

Oral Contraceptives – Progestin Only

These pills contain only the hormone progestin and help prevent pregnancy by reduces and thickens the cervical mucus to prevent the sperms from reaching the eggs. They were approved by the FDA as early as 1973. They are 98% effective and only 2 women in 100 become pregnant despite using the pills. These pills have to be taken daily irrespective of the frequency of the intercourse. There can be a few side effects because of these pills including breast tenderness, weight gain and irregular bleeding.

Intrauterine Devices

This is a ‘T’ shaped device that was approved by the FDA in 1976 and is inserted into the uterus of the women. These devices are more than 99% effective and in rare cases 1 out of 100 women report pregnancy despite using this device. Although they are very convenient and are effective for almost 10 years after they have been inserted into the uterus by a physician, they involve considerable amount of risks including cramps, bleeding, infertility and perforation of the uterus.

Diaphragm with Spermicide

This is a lubricated polyurethane sheath that is shaped similar to the male condom but its close end has a flexible ring that is inserted into the vagina. It is only about 80% effective and almost 21 in 100 women report pregnancy despite using the diaphragm. These are convenient to use and can be left in place for almost 24 hours and can be used multiple number of times with additional spermicide. Some risks involved in using this means of contraception include allergic reactions and allergy in the vagina and urinary tract infection.

Abstinence

This is an age old method of birth control. Here intercourse if avoided when pregnancy is most likely to take place. This method requires a lot of control from both the partners and you will need to contact a health care provider who can guide you as to when it is safe to have an intercourse without risking pregnancy based on the menstrual cycle. It is about 80% effective and 20 women in 100 report pregnancy despite following abstinence to avoid pregnancy. The bright side of this method is that there are absolutely no side effects.

Choose a method of contraception after talking to a health care provider who will be able to guide you better depending on your body needs, menstrual cycle, age and frequency of intercourse. Make sure that your partner accompanies you so that he too can understand all the implications and side effects if any.