Birth Control Effectiveness

Before you decide which method of birth control you are going to use, it is important to know how about birth control effectiveness. There are basically four options when it comes to birth control—natural, over-the-counter, prescription, and permanent—and each have different levels of effectiveness.

Natural Methods of Birth Control

Natural methods include abstinence, which of course, is 100% effective. If you use no method at all and are sexually active, there is an 85% chance that you will become pregnant. Another natural method is called Natural Family Planning.  With this method, the woman must be 100% aware of her fertility cycle in order to have the highest birth control effectiveness.  When done correctly, NFP can be 95-97% effective.  Withdrawal is another natural method which can be 82-96% effective if done correctly. However it is important to know that when men are aroused, they will pre-ejaculate letting loose over 300,000 sperm into the vagina.  It only takes one to make a woman pregnant.  If you are going to use any natural methods of birth control, you must be diligent and must be used perfectly in order to achieve the highest levels of effectiveness.

Over the Counter Birth Control

Over the Counter Birth Control methods are those which can be used without a doctor’s prescription. These all include barrier methods such as male or female condoms, spermicides, or the sponge. If used correctly condoms can be 95-98% effective, however the typical use drops this rate to 79-85% for birth control effectiveness.

Spermicides include such items as contraceptive foams, creams, suppositories and jellies. These methods, if used perfectly have a birth control effectiveness rate of 85%.

The sponge has a different birth control effectiveness rate depending on if you’ve already been pregnant or have not ever been pregnant. If you have never been pregnant and you use it perfectly, the effectiveness rate is 91%. If you have been pregnant and use the sponge perfectly, the rate is only 80% effective.

Prescription Methods of Birth Control

Prescription methods of birth control include pills, Nuvaring, the patch, injections, IUDs, diaphragms and cervical caps. All of these different methods, if used correctly, can have almost perfect birth control effectiveness rates. Typical usage of these methods offers very high effective rates as well, ranging from 84% for cervical caps to 99.99% for the injections.

Permanent Methods of Birth Control

Permanent methods of birth control include vasectomies for men and tubal ligations for women. If a man has a vasectomy, the birth control effectiveness of this procedure is 99% as long as the semen analysis shows no sperm in the semen sample. Tubal ligations also are 99% effective during the first year. After the first year, one in every 100 women may become pregnant due to the chance the fallopian tubes reattach themselves.

It’s always a good idea to speak with your physician to choose the best birth control method that works for you and your partner.