What is Birth Control?

Several birth control options are available. They include:

• The Pill is a contraceptive that prevents a woman from getting pregnant in 95% of cases. It comes close to providing 99% protection if the pill is taken routinely everyday as prescribed.
• The Male Condom is one of one of the most popular types of contraceptives. It is easy to use, affordable and offers the best protection against Sexually Transmitted Infections (e.g. gonorrhoea, chlamydia, HIV). Condoms are also 98% effective in preventing pregnancy when used correctly, every time.

• The Female Condom is just like the male condom, and offers 95% effective protection for pregnancy as well as some protection against STIs. Female condoms are generally more expensive than male ones but they are less likely to burst. Female condoms can be inserted up to eight hours before sex.
• The Intrauterine Device (IUD) is a hormonal and copper device that can be kept inside the vagina for up to five or ten years respectively. The effectiveness rate for IUDs is above 99%, however they provide no protection against STIs. IUDs can also be a form of emergency contraception if the device is inserted within 5 days after unprotected sex.
• The Contraceptive Sponge is a small, round-shaped foam placed deep inside the vagina. It contains spermicide so that sperm does not get past the gel foam. The sponge should be left inside the vagina for at least six hours after sex, but removed within 24 hours following sexual intercourse (to lessen the risk of toxic shock). The sponge does not protect past those 24 hours and does not provide any STI protection.
• Spermicide proves very effective when used in combination with other methods (e.g. diaphragm, sponge).
• Contraceptive Injections are one shot of hormones that last in the body for 8 to 12 weeks (3 months) and have the same effect as the pill. Injections are about 99% effective with pregnancy occurring mostly with women who forgot to renew their contraceptive shot in time (i.e. past weeks 11 to 12). Once the shot is given it cannot be reversed, so a person is effectively infertile for the next three months.

• The Vaginal Ring is a small, transparent plastic ring that is inserted in the vagina and kept for three weeks. It should be removed during menstrual cycles and replaced with a new one after that. This ring contains the same hormones as the contraceptive pill (progesterone and estrogen), therefore providing the same kind of effective protection and side effects.
• The Contraceptive Patch is exactly the same thing as the contraceptive pill but in the form of a patch. It provides the same effective protection against pregnancy. It does not protect from STIs.
• Emergency Contraception or (Plan-B) exists to stop a person from getting pregnant if they recently had unprotected sex. This method is used for a few occasions and is not recommended for daily use.
• It is particularly useful if a condom breaks or if a person has missed taking one of their contraceptive pills. These should be taken within 24 hours after unprotected sex which offers over 95% protection. The longer the wait, the less effective it will be. After 72 hours (3 days) the effectiveness drops to below 50%.
• Sterilization is an option available to both men and women. This provides no protection against STIs and the effects are for life. In very rare cases (less than 1%), the tubes can grow back, making pregnancy a risk

There are two categories of hormonal methods a person can choose to take regarding birth control. The two categories are: Progestin-only and combined hormonal methods. Progestin-only methods include IUD, the implant, and the shot which contain only progestin. Combined hormonal methods include the pill, the ring, and the patch and contain both progestin and estrogen. People with underlying health conditions may be better off taking different hormonal methods than the general population. Some hormonal methods might be better for some than others and that is why it is important to know which birth control method falls in to which category.