Contraceptives

• Contraception


  Also known as family planning or birth control, protects you from pregnancy
• Contraception


  Works so that an egg can't be fertilized by sperm to conceive a baby
• Spermicide


  • Kills sperm, comes in several forms - foam, gel, cream, film, suppository, or tablet
  • Placed in the vagina no more than one hour before intercourse, left in place at least six to eight hours after intercourse
  • Can be purchased at drug stores
• Fertility-Awareness Based Method


  • Understanding your monthly fertility pattern to plan pregnancy or avoid it
  • If you have a regular menstrual cycle, you have about nine or more fertile days each month
  • If you do not want to get pregnant, you do not have sex on the days you are fertile, or you use a barrier method of birth control on those days
• Sponge


  • Contains spermicide, placed in the vagina to fit over the cervix
  • Works for up to 24 hours, must be left in the vagina for at least 6 hours after the last act of intercourse
• Typical use failure rate of sponge

  12% for nulliparous women and 24% for parous women
• Withdrawal


  The penis is withdrawn from the vagina before ejaculation
• Withdrawal is not recommended as a form of contraception due to the risks of sperm being present in the pre-ejaculate or not withdrawing the penis in time
• Female Condom


  • Worn by the woman, helps keep sperm from getting into her body
  • Packaged with a lubricant and available at drug stores
  • Can be inserted up to eight hours before sexual intercourse
• Typical use failure rate of female condom

  21%, may also help prevent STDs
• Male Condom


  • Worn by the man, keeps sperm from getting into a woman's body
  • Latex condoms, the most common type, help prevent pregnancy, and HIV and other STDs, as do the newer synthetic condoms
  • Condoms can only be used once
  • You can buy condoms, KY jelly, or water-based lubricants at a drug store
  • Do not use oil-based lubricants such as massage oils, baby oil, lotions, or petroleum jelly with latex condoms as they will weaken the condom, causing it to tear or break
• Diaphragm or Cervical Cap


  • Barrier methods placed inside the vagina to cover the cervix to block sperm
  • The diaphragm is shaped like a shallow cup, the cervical cap is a thimble-shaped cup
  • Before sexual intercourse, you insert them with spermicide to block or kill sperm
  • Visit your doctor for a proper fitting because diaphragms and cervical caps come in different sizes
• Hormonal Vaginal Contraceptive Ring

  • Releases the hormones progestin and estrogen
  • You place the ring inside your vagina, wear it for three weeks, take it out for the week you have your period, and then put in a new ring
• Patch


  • Skin patch worn on the lower abdomen, buttocks, or upper body (but not on the breasts)
  • Releases hormones progestin and estrogen into the bloodstream
  • You put on a new patch once a week for three weeks, during the fourth week you do not wear a patch, so you can have a menstrual period
• Combined Oral Contraceptives


  • Also called "the pill," contain the hormones estrogen and progestin
  • Prescribed by a doctor
  • A pill is taken at the same time each day
• Progestin only Pill


  • Only has one hormone, progestin, instead of both estrogen and progestin
  • Prescribed by a doctor
  • Taken at the same time each day
  • May be a good option for women who can't take estrogen
• Injection


  • Women get shots of the hormone progestin in the buttocks or arm every three months from their doctor
• Implant


  • A single, thin rod inserted under the skin of a women's upper arm
  • The rod contains a progestin that is released into the body over 3 years
• Copper T Intrauterine Device (IUD)


  • A small device shaped like a "T" that is placed inside the uterus by a doctor to prevent pregnancy
  • Can stay in the uterus for up to 10 years
• Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System (LNG IUD)


  • A small T-shaped device like the Copper T IUD, placed inside the uterus by a doctor
  • Releases a small amount of progestin each day to keep you from getting pregnant
  • Stays in your uterus for up to 3 to 8 years, depending on the device
• Tubal Ligation (Female Sterilization)


  • A woman can have her fallopian tubes tied (or closed) so that sperm and eggs cannot meet for fertilization
  • The procedure can be done in a hospital or in an outpatient surgical center, you can go home the same day and resume normal activities within a few days
  • This method is effective immediately
• Vasectomy (Male Sterilization)


  • An operation done to keep a man's sperm from going to his penis, so his ejaculate never has any sperm in it that can fertilize an egg
  • The procedure is typically done at an outpatient surgical center, the man can go home the same day, and recovery time is less than one week
  • After the operation, a man visits his doctor for tests to count his sperm and to make sure the sperm count has dropped to zero, which takes about 12 weeks, another form of birth control should be used until the man's sperm count has dropped to zero
• Failure Rates

  Spermicide - 28%

  Fertility based awareness - 2-24%

  Sponge - 12% nulliparous, 24% parous

  Withdrawal - 22%

  Female Condom - 21%

  Male condom - 13%

  Diaphragm or Cervical cup - 12%

  Ring - 9%

  patch - 9%

  Combined oral contraception - 9%

  progestin only pill - 9%

  injection - 6%

  Implant - 0.1%

  Copper IUD - 0.8%

  Levonogesterel IUD - 0.2%

  Tubal Ligation - 0.5%

  Vasectomy - 0.15%