Wellness Center - Let's Talk About Sex

Birth Control

There are many types of birth control. The decision to use an additional form of birth control is yours. You may feel pressured by your parents or your partner but you need to make the decision about putting something into your body. The best form of birth control is abstinence (see abstinence section.) Ultimately, your choice of birth control is something that you need to discuss with your clinician.
The next two pages give you birth control basics in a chart format. This is a quick guide to let you know about the form of protection, how it works, the effectiveness and more.
Natural Birth Control Methods
- Pulling out/withdrawal method. This one is pretty hard to control. It is bad for 2 reasons. First, there is no way to contain the precum, which contains sperm.
- The rhythm method. This method has a particularly high failure rate, but it is helpful for people trying to conceive. I am only mentioning it because it may be something to consider if you are older and can handle a baby if it were to fail. This natural method is based on a woman’s menstrual cycle. About 14 days after the first day of a woman’s period she ovulates (releases an egg). At this time the egg will be fertilized or not, and if it’s not the cycle repeats and the woman has her period. This is the most likely time a woman can get pregnant. Avoiding sex during this time is not a good method. Since young women are still adjusting, they can have erratic and unpredictable cycles. There is NO guarantee. To learn more about the menstrual cycle visit these sites.
  http://www.msnbc.com/news/wld/graphics/menstrual_cycle_dw2.swf
  http://www.4woman.gov/FAQ/menstru.htm

Method	How it Works	Effectiveness	Availability	Protection against STD/HIV	Risks	Additional Info
Abstinence	Make a commitment to yourself not to have sexual intercourse.	100%	No prescription needed	Yes, protects against all of them	None	Peer and significant other pressure may make it difficult.
Latex Male Condom	Applied immediately before intercourse; used only once and discarded. (See condom section).	With typical uses 86% With perfect use 99%	Over the counter, Many places offer free or low cost condoms	Yes, however it only protects areas covered by condom	Latex allergy, can break if used improperly	Polyurethane condoms are available for people with latex allergy, but effectiveness is undetermined
Female condom	Applied immediately or a few hours before intercourse; used only once and discarded.	79%	Over the counter	Yes, may actually provide more coverage than a male condom	May be uncomfortable at first	The female condom’s outer ring must stay outside of the vagina at all times so it should be held in place during insertion
Spermicides alone	Follow the directions on the box Usually applied before intercourse and left in after sex for up to 6 hours	Around 74%	Over the counter various types: foam, film, sponge, gel, etc.	No, plus nonoxyl-9 may increase the risk of contracting an STD/HIV if present	Irritation, messy	Spermicides are more effective when combined with other methods
Diaphragm with spermicide	Inserted before intercourse and left in place at least six hours after.	80%	Must be fitted/prescribed by a doctor. Can be used for several years	none	Irritation and allergic reactions, urinary tract infection	Can be left in place for 24 hours, with additional spermicide for repeated intercourse.
Cervical Cap with spermicide	Inserted before intercourse and left in place at least six hours after.	60-80%	Must be fitted/prescribed by a doctor. Can be used for several years	none	Irritation and allergic reactions, may cause abnormal pap	May be difficult to insert; can remain in place for 48 hours without reapplying spermicide for repeated intercourse.
Oral contraceptives -- combined pill	Must be taken on daily schedule, (same time each day) regardless of frequency of intercourse.	Over 95%	Must be prescribed by a doctor.	none	Dizziness; nausea; changes in menstruation, mood and weight; rare side effects: cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, blood clots, heart attack and strokes.Risks are increased by smoking	It may take several different pills to find the one that is right for you.
Oral contraceptives -- progestin-only "mini pill"	Must be taken on daily schedule, regardless of frequency of intercourse.	95%	Prescribed by a doctor.	none	Irregular bleeding, weight gain, breast tenderness, slightly increased chance of ectopic pregnancy.	This type of pill creates a layer of mucus around the cervix, providing a barrier.
Injection (Depo-Provera)	One shot every 3 months	99%	Prescription	none	Irregular bleeding, weight gain, breast tenderness, headaches	Some women stop having periods.
Intrauterine Device (IUD)	A copper or plastic device is inserted into the uterus.	98-99%	Prescription. After insertion by physician, can remain in place for up to one or 10 years, depending on type.	none	Cramps, bleeding, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, perforation of uterus	IUDs can be inserted up to one week after unprotected intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
Implants	Little rods that release hormones are inserted under the skin	99%	Inserted by a doctor and lasts up to 3 years.	none	Pain, irritation, swelling, or bruising, Scarring Irregular bleeding, weight gain, breast tenderness,	The new implant is called implanon and Norplant have been phased out
Vaginal Ring (Nuva Ring)	A flexible ring containing hormones is inserted into the vagina and left in place for 3 weeks	99%	Prescription	none	Vaginal infections and irritation Vaginal secretion Headache, Weight gain, Nausea	It may be easier to use for people that can’t remember to take the pill
The Path (Ortho Evra)	A patch is applied to different areas of the body and changed each week.	95-99%	Prescription	none	Blood clots, stroke and heart attacks and are increased if you smoke cigarettes. Rash/skin irritation	It is easier than taking the pill. If you place the patch in a visible area of the body, people will know you are on it.

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