Types of Contraception
What Birth Control Method Works Best for Your Lifestyle?
Once you start to go through puberty, it’s possible to get pregnant or get someone pregnant, which is why it’s important to be familiar with different ways to prevent pregnancy. When people use birth control, or contraception, they use a medicine, medical device or barrier like a condom to keep a sperm and an egg from uniting. Some birth control, like the Pill, the Patch and the Shot, are medicines that keep the ovary from releasing an egg or ovum. Other birth control methods help create a barrier at the opening of the cervix to keep sperm from getting inside the uterus to find an egg. Abstinence, or choosing to not have or delay having sex, is the most effective form of birth control.
Abstinence and Outercourse
Abstinence, not having sex, and outercourse, sexual activity besides vaginal penetration, are 100% effective at preventing pregnancy (Planned Parenthood). These methods prevent pregnancy by preventing semen from entering the vagina. If semen is not inside the vagina, it can’t get to an egg to fertilize it, and pregnancy can’t happen.These methods are not possible for those desiring vaginal penetration, but this is the only method that’s 100% effective, so it’s important to mention. If you are using a natural fertility method as birth control, this is also an option to consider during your fertile window.
Benefits
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100% effective with perfect use
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Free of cost
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No hormones, prescriptions, patches, or foreign objects inserted in the body
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Immediately effective
Barrier Methods
Barrier methods like the male condom and female condom are the only method that protect against sexually transmitted diseases, with the latter thought to be less effective against STDs. Other barrier methods include the cervical cap, cervical cap, diaphragm (must be used with spermicide to be effective), but these do not protect against STDs and require a prescription. These barrier methods are an option for those who want to avoid hormones and having to remember to take daily pills.
Benefits
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80% effective with typical use, 98% effective with perfect use
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Affordable
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Widely available, no prescription needed
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Immediately effective
Pill
Birth control pills, commonly referred to as simply “the pill,” are available in with progestin only or a combination of progestin and estrogen.Another benefit of using the pill as birth control is that if you decide you’d like to get pregnant, you can simply stop taking the pill. Most people ovulate about 2 weeks after stopping the pill, and once ovulation occurs, so can pregnancy (Mayo Clinic 2018). Some people do report having negative side effects, but everybody is different; one person may have no problems with the pill, and another person may have many side effects.
Benefits
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99% effective with perfect use
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Affordable
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Regulate menstrual cycle
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Less painful cramps
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Lighter periods
Intrauterine Device (IUD)
An intrauterine device (IUD) is a T-shaped device that is inserted in the uterus to prevent pregnancy by releasing either hormones or copper, making the uterus inhospitable to an embryo, and thickening the mucus. IUDs are available with hormones or without. A common misconception about the hormonal IUDs is that the hormones are only local to the uterus and do not enter the bloodstream; in reality, hormones are released into the bloodstream with hormonal IUDs, but the hormone levels are lower than other progestin-only birth control methods (Bedsider 2017).
Benefits
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More than 99% effective (Planned Parenthood)
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Affordable
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Low maintenance -- lasts up to 3-12 years, depending on the type, with a monthly self-check
Implant
The birth control implant is a thin rod that is inserted in your arm by a doctor or nurse. It releases hormones to prevent pregnancy by thickening the mucus on the cervix and may also prevent eggs from being released by the ovaries. The implant lasts for up to 5 years.
Benefits
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More than 99% effective (Planned Parenthood)
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Low maintenance -- lasts up to 5 years
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Estrogen-free
Ring
The birth control ring, brand name NuvaRing, is a small, flexible ring that is inserted in the vagina and releases the hormones estrogen and progestin to stop ovulation and thickens the mucus around the cervix, which prevent pregnancy. The birth control ring is also not suitable for those who have a history of blood clots, an inherited blood-clotting disorder, vein inflammation, breast cancer, stroke, serious heart problems, migraine headaches with aura (seeing flashing, zigzag lines), uncontrolled high blood pressure, very bad diabetes, or liver disease.
Benefits
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99% effective with perfect use, 91% with typical use (Planned Parenthood)
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Affordable
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Latex-free
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Can regulate periods and reduce menstrual cramps
Calendar Method
Calendar based contraceptive methods prevent pregnancy by monitoring the fertile periods during the menstrual cycle. To use this method a woman monitors the length of her menstrual cycle for a period of six months to establish how many days her cycle usually lasts for. She then tracks the progress through each future cycle from the first day of menstrual bleeding (e.g. by numbering the days in a calendar). Doing this enables a woman to determine whether or not she is fertile on a given day of her menstrual cycle and avoid sexual intercourse on those days.This method may not work for those who work odd hours, since at least 4 consecutive hours of sleep are needed to get an accurate BBT. When you first start using this method, we recommend finding a practitioner who can provide individual support and review of your charts.
Benefits
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99.6% effective with perfect use and appropriate education/training
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No hormones, prescriptions, patches, or foreign objects inserted in the bod
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May help identify other irregularities with cycle or health conditions
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Gain intimate knowledge and understanding of body
Summary
Read everything you can about the method or methods you’re considering, and discuss your options with your parents or doctor; together you can decide on what’s best for you. Regardless of what method you choose, practice safe sex -- none of the methods mentioned above prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, ask your parents, trusted adult and doctor.