​​Family Planning

• About Family Planning
• Why is family planning important to you as an individual?

Birth Control Methods and Choices

• Relative Effectiveness of Birth Control Methods
• Abstinence
• Contraceptive Implant
• Intrauterine Contraception
• Progestin-only Contraceptives
• Combined Hormonal Methods
• Emergency Contraception
• Breastfeeding
• Natural Family Planning or Fertility Awareness Methods
• Barrier Methods
• Withdrawal
• No Method
• Sterilization

Making a decision about your pregnancy

• Overview
• Disclaimer
• Fetal Development
• Pregnancy
• Adoption
• Abortion Methods
• Family Planning
• Resources
• Glossary
• References

Health Provider Resources

• FAQ
• Signature Form
• ITOP Report Form (for 2023 and earlier)
• ITOP Report Form (for 2024 and later)
  
• Printable Version of the Informed Consent Website

Relative Effectiveness of Birth Control Methods

Birth Control Methods: How well can they work for me?

The following information describes how well reversible and permanent methods of birth control work to prevent unplanned pregnancy for most people and the number of unplanned pregnancies among 100 women in the first year with typical use of each method.

Reversible Methods

• Abstinence
  
  • 0 unplanned pregnancies expected among 100 women in the first year following this method.
  • Protects people from HIV and STDs
• Hormonal Contraceptive Implant
  
• Hormonal Intrauterine Contraception and Copper Intrauterine Contraception
  
  • Less than 1 unplanned pregnancy expected among 100 women in the first year with typical use of this method.
• Hormonal Shot
  
• Hormonal Vaginal Ring
  
• Hormonal Skin Patch
  
• Hormonal Oral Pills
  
  • 3-8 unplanned pregnancies expected among 100 women in the first year with typical use of this method.
• Male Condom
  
• Female Condom
  
  • 15-21 unplanned pregnancies expected among 100 women in the first year with typical use of this method.
  • Protects people from HIV and STDs.
• Emergency Contraception Pills
  
  • Emergency contraception pills may reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancy by at least 75% when taken within 3-5 days after unprotected sex.
• Breastfeeding
  
  • May be highly effective when baby is fully breastfed.
• Diaphragm
  
• Sponge
  
• Fertility Awareness or Cycle Method
  
• Withdrawal
  
• Spermicides
  
  • 16-32 unplanned pregnancies expected among 100 women in the first year with typical use of this method.
• No Method
  
  • 85 unplanned pregnancies expected among 100 women in the first year with typical use of this method.

Permanent Methods

• Female Sterilization
  
• Male Sterilization
  
  • Less than unplanned pregnancy expected among 100 women in the first year with typical use of this method.

ADAPTED FROM Contraceptive Technology: Nineteenth Revised Edition. New York NY: Ardent Media, 2007

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