Artificial Methods of Family Planning

There are a number of artificial family planning methods.

Many couples wish to control when they have children and how many they have. There are many methods of family planning to choose from. Natural family planning, also known as the rhythm method, involves tracking a woman's cycle to determine when she is likely to become pregnant. There are also many artificial methods of family planning.

Condoms

Condoms are worn by men on the penis. During sex, the condom prevents sperm from entering the woman and therefore prevents pregnancy. The effectiveness is rated at 71 percent to 85 percent, but this number may be low because condoms are often used incorrectly. When using condoms, follow the directions carefully.

Barrier

A diaphragm is a disk that women can insert to act as a barrier. It stops sperm from entering the uterus and therefore prevents pregnancy. In general, barrier methods have an effectiveness rating of 71 percent to 85 percent, but using a spermicide along with a diaphragm increases its effectiveness.

Hormones

Some women take pills or wear a patch to control their hormones. If used correctly, these drugs prevent pregnancy. If the woman wants to become pregnant, she can simply stop taking the pill or remove the patch. The effectiveness of these methods is rated at 92 percent.

Internal Device

An IUD is inserted into a woman's uterus by a doctor to prevent pregnancy. When the woman is ready to become pregnant, her doctor removes the device. Effectiveness is rated at 97 percent to 99 percent.

Injections

Depo-Provera is an injection a woman can get as birth control; she must get the shot four times per year. It has an effectiveness rating of 97 percent to 99 percent.

Benefits

Artificial methods of family planning have a higher success rate than the rhythm method, in which a woman tracks her ovulation by taking her temperature. Natural family planning has a success rate of 78 percent to 88 percent.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Planned Parenthood