Contraception

• Hormonal methods of contraception cause oestrogen to be released every day. This inhibits FSH which means the egg will never mature or be released. Progesterone stimulates the release of thick mucus in the cervix which will stop the sperm from ever reaching the egg.
• The combined oral contraceptive pill is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, but also has side effects like headaches and nausea. There is also a progesterone only pill which is still very effective and tends to have less side effects.
• The contraceptive patch lasts a week and slowly release oestrogen and progesterone.
• The contraceptive injection lats 2-3 months and is an injection of progesterone.
• The contraceptive implant lasts up to 3 years.
• An IUD can be placed inside the uterus which releases progesterone.
• There is a copper IUD which releases no hormones but stops sperm by killing them.
• Non-hormonal methods prevent the sperm from meeting the egg. There are condoms and female condoms. These also prevent STI transmission.
• Diaphragms block sperm from entering the uterus. They are unreliable however and have to be used with spermicides.
• Spermicides only work 7/10 times.
• There are permanent methods such as sterilization. For women, this could be the cutting or tying of the fallopian tubes.
• For men they can be sterilised by a vasectomy.
• Some people use natural methods which are very unreliable such as only have sex at certain times or pulling out before ejaculation.