controlling fertility

• Activities to decrease fertility

  • Hormonal methods
  • Non-hormonal methods
• The Pill (Oestrogen & Progesterone)

  • Oral contraception that contains oestrogen and progesterone
  • Oestrogen inhibits production of FSH, preventing egg development
  • Progesterone stimulates thick cervical mucus, preventing sperm reaching egg
• The Pill (Oestrogen & Progesterone)


  • Over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy
  • Can have side effects like headaches, missed periods, weight changes, mood swings, nausea
• The Pill (Progesterone Only)


  Contraceptive pill that contains only progesterone, with fewer side effects than the oestrogen and progesterone pill
• The Pill (both types) do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases
• You need to remember to take the Pill daily, if you stop taking it the reduction in fertility will be lost
• Other hormonal contraception devices

  • Injections
  • Patches
  • Implants
  • Intrauterine Devices (IUD)
• Other hormonal contraception devices

  • Provide continuous hormone release, so user doesn't need to remember daily
  • Side effects may last for longer periods (especially injections and implants)
• Non-hormonal methods to reduce fertility

  • Barrier methods
  • Avoiding fertile period
  • Sterilisation
• Barrier methods


  Prevent sperm and egg from meeting, so egg cannot be fertilised
• Barrier methods


  • Condoms
  • Femidoms
  • Diaphragm
  • Spermicides
• Barrier methods


  • Condoms and femidoms protect against STDs/STIs as well as pregnancy
  • Diaphragm used with spermicides
  • Spermicides only about 75% effective on their own
• Avoiding fertile period


  Avoiding sexual intercourse around ovulation (days 12-14) to prevent pregnancy
• Avoiding fertile period has a very high chance of pregnancy if timings are not accurate
• Sterilisation


  Permanent procedure to cut or tie fallopian tubes in females or vas deferens in males, preventing egg/sperm from meeting
• Sterilisation is very effective at reducing pregnancy, but there is a small chance the tubes can re-join