Different Family Planning Methods

There are many options for family planning out there, and it is confusing to sort through all of them. Each one has different effectiveness ratings, but some are more comfortable (for some people) than others. Reading through a simple breakdown of all of the family planning methods available will help you weed out the ones you are not interested in, so you can go about researching just the ones that are of interest to you.

Natural

Natural family planning is also called the rhythm method. It involves tracking the woman's ovulation and avoiding sex when she is fertile. Natural family planning has a success rate ranging from 78 to 88 percent.

Barrier

Barrier methods include the condom, which is placed over the man's penis, and the diaphragm, which the woman inserts in her vagina. The diaphragm covers the entrance to the uterus, thereby blocking the sperm's access. The cervical cap does the same thing, but can be left in longer. The condom holds the sperm inside it. In general, barrier methods have an effectiveness rating of 71 percent to 85 percent, but using a spermicide along with a barrier increases its effectiveness.

Oral/Topical

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.

Injection

Depo-Provera is an injection given to women as birth control. Women must get the shot four times per year, and it has an effectiveness rating of 97 percent to 99 percent.

Internal

IUD stands for internal uterine 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. The effectiveness is rated at 97 percent to 99 percent.

Sterilization

A vasectomy is a form of outpatient surgery given to men. In a vasectomy, the tubes that carry sperm from the testes to the urethra, or vas deferens, are cut, so that sperm never enter the man's ejaculate. Women can be sterilized by cutting the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. This, however, requires hospitalization and recovery. Effectiveness for sterilization for both men and women is rated at 99 percent or more, but not 100 percent due to extremely rare medical flukes.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Planned Parenthood
• Women'sHealth.gov: Birth Control Methods