Contraception Options
More than 3 million unintended pregnancies
occur in American women every year. Almost half
of these women are not using contraception, and
for those women who are, the majority of unintended
pregnancies result from the incorrect or inconsistent
use of their contraception method.
Women who will potentially use a form of contraception
to prevent pregnancy need to know the types of
birth control methods
available. Most importantly, they need to know
how willing they will be to use, or remember to
use, the birth control option they select.
Avoiding an unintended pregnancy involves weighing
the advantages and disadvantages of contraception
methods and selecting one that fits into your
(and your partner’s) lifestyle. Even a technologically
perfect contraceptive will fail when not used
in the correct manner.
Most contraception methods have a theoretical
success rate, or “perfect use” rate,
ranging between 91 and 99 percent. However, the
actual success rates can drop dramatically, depending
on the form of contraception being used and human
error. For example, male condoms have a “perfect
use” rate of 97 percent but an “actual
use” rate of 88 percent.
When selecting a form of birth control, consider
your lifestyle, STD risk, cost, comfort, effectiveness
and health history. In addition, use a method
that you will follow correctly and consistently.
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