Birth Control

The cervical cap is a thimble-shaped cup you insert into your vagina before having sex. It needs to stay in place for at least six hours after you have sex. Cervical caps come in different sizes, so visit your health care provider for a proper fitting.

People who are allergic to silicone or spermicide should not use a cervical cap.

Effectiveness

• For people who have never given birth vaginally, the cervical cap is about 86% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• For people who have given birth vaginally, it is about 71% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

• Vaginal irritation
• Urinary tract infections

Male/External Condom

A male/external condom is a thin covering placed over the penis to keep sperm out of the vagina before having sex. Latex condoms, the most common type, help prevent pregnancy and HIV and other STIs, as do the newer synthetic condoms. "Natural" or "lambskin" condoms also help prevent pregnancy, but they may not provide protection against STIs.

If you are allergic to latex, you should use a non-latex condom.

Effectiveness

• 87% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

• None

Internal Condom (FC2)

An internal condom (FC2) — also known as a female condom — is a pouch with a ring on each end that you insert into your vagina.

Effectiveness

• About 79% effective at preventing pregnancy.

The diaphragm is a shallow, dome-shaped cup made of silicone that you insert into your vagina before having sex. It can be inserted a few hours before sex and needs to stay in place for at least six hours after sex. For a diaphragm to work effectively, you need to use it with a spermicide.

People who are allergic to silicone or spermicide should not use a diaphragm.

Effectiveness

• About 83% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

• Vaginal irritation
• Urinary tract infections

Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after you have unprotected sex, or if a birth control method failed, such as a condom breaking. It is not an abortion pill and will not work if you are already pregnant.

There are two available methods — a pill and a non-hormonal copper IUD.

For the pill, you do not need a prescription and you can get it no matter your age. You can get the pill at a pharmacy or online, or for free at some clinics. The non-hormonal IUD is inserted by your provider and lasts for up to 10 years.

Effectiveness

• The pill is about 89% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• The non-hormonal IUD is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

For either method, the sooner you take it, the better it works. For the pill, you need to take it three to five days after you have unprotected sex. The non-hormonal IUD must be inserted by your provider no more than five days after you have unprotected sex.

Side Effects

Pill:

• Upset stomach
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Irregular bleeding

Non-hormonal IUD:

• Spotting between periods, especially during the first few months
• Cramps and increased bleeding during periods

Fertility awareness, or natural family planning, is a form of birth control based on tracking your menstrual cycle to determine the days you can get pregnant. You need to have a regular monthly menstrual cycle for this option to work.

Fertility awareness requires planning, monitoring and record-keeping. Also, you must not have sex for at least a week during each menstrual cycle.

Effectiveness

• About 77 to 98% effective at preventing pregnancy.

There are three main methods, and combining all three is most effective.

• Standard days: Tracking your periods.
• Cervical mucus: Observing your cervical mucus every day.
• Basal body temperature: Taking your temperature every day.

Side Effects

• None

The implant is a plastic rod — about the size of a matchstick — that contains the hormone progestin. It is inserted under the skin of your inner upper arm by your health care provider.

Effectiveness

• More than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• Lasts up to three years.

Side Effects

• Irregular bleeding, including spotting between periods, longer periods or no periods at all. These side effects are more likely in the first year.

The hormonal IUD is an inch-long plastic device containing the hormone progestin. It is inserted into your uterus by your health care provider.

Effectiveness

• More than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• Lasts three to five years, depending on the type.

Side Effects

• Spotting between periods or irregular bleeding for the first three to six months
• Decrease in menstrual bleeding
• For some people, periods will stop entirely

The non-hormonal IUD is an inch-long device made of plastic and copper. It is inserted into your uterus by your health care provider.

Effectiveness

• More than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• Lasts up to 10 years.

Side Effects

• Spotting between periods, especially in the first few months
• Cramps
• Increased bleeding during period

The patch is a thin, plastic adhesive square containing two hormones — progestin and estrogen. You must place a new patch on your lower abdomen, buttocks or upper body each week for three weeks. Do not place the patch on your breasts. You do not wear a patch during your period in the fourth week. After your period ends, you must put on a new patch.

Effectiveness

• About 93% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

The side effects listed below usually go away within the first three months.

• Spotting between periods
• Breast tenderness
• Nausea
• Lighter, short periods

The birth control pill is an oral tablet that contains one hormone (progestin) or two hormones (progestin and estrogen). You must take a pill every day at the same time.

Effectiveness

• About 93% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

The side effects listed below usually go away within the first three months.

• Spotting between periods
• Breast tenderness
• Nausea
• Lighter periods

The ring is a soft, flexible round piece of plastic containing two hormones (progestin and estrogen). You can insert the ring into your vagina and leave it in for three weeks. You must then remove it and insert a new ring.

Effectiveness

• About 93% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

The side effects listed below usually go away within the first three months.

• Spotting between periods
• Breast tenderness
• Nausea
• Lighter, short periods

The Depo-Provera shot is a hormone (progestin) injection given by your health care provider. You must receive it every three months.

Effectiveness

• About 96% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

• Irregular bleeding in the first year
• Weight gain in the first year
• No period after a year
• After you stop the shot, it may take several months before you are able to get pregnant.

The sponge is a round piece of plastic foam containing spermicide that you insert into your vagina before having sex. It needs to stay in place over the cervix for at least six hours after you have sex.

Do not use the sponge if you are allergic to sulfa drugs, sulfites or spermicide.

Effectiveness

• For people who have never given birth vaginally, the sponge is about 86% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• For people who have given birth vaginally, it is about 73% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

• Vaginal irritation

Sterilization for people capable of pregnancy means a health care provider closes or blocks the fallopian tubes, preventing the egg and sperm from meeting. For people capable of getting others pregnant, sterilization (vasectomy) means a provider blocks the vas deferens, preventing sperm from being present in the semen.

Sterilization is permanent. Once sterilized, you will not need to use any other form of birth control. You should continue to use condoms if you are at risk for STIs.

Effectiveness

• More than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• In rare cases, fallopian tubes can reconnect themselves, resulting in a pregnancy.

Side Effects

• Complications from surgery, including bleeding, infection or a reaction to anesthesia

Withdrawal is when a person pulls their penis out of a vagina and ejaculates away from the vulva.

Effectiveness

• About 78% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Side Effects

• None