Health Information
Effectiveness Rate of Birth Control Methods
Topic Overview
The following table compares the effectiveness of different birth control methods. The column on the right shows the number of women out of 100 who will have an unplanned pregnancy in the first year of using a method. These numbers represent studies of real-life usage.
You can improve on the real-life failure rate of birth control methods by consistently using birth control methods as directed. But even if used perfectly each time, a method will still fail to prevent a pregnancy in a certain number of women.
| Category | Method | Number of unplanned pregnancies out of 100 typical usersReference 1, Reference 2 | Number of unplanned pregnancies out of 100 people that used the method exactly as directedReference 1, Reference 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hormonal |
Combination birth control pills |
8 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
Hormonal implant |
Fewer than 1 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
|
The shot |
3 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
|
Transdermal patch |
8 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
|
Progestin-only pills (mini-pills) |
8 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
|
Vaginal ring |
8 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
| IUD |
Hormonal IUD |
Fewer than 1 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
Copper IUD |
Fewer than 1 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
| Barrier methods |
Condom, male |
15 |
2 |
|
Withdrawal |
27 |
4 |
|
|
Condom, female |
21 |
5 |
|
|
Diaphragm with spermicide |
16 |
6 |
|
|
Spermicide alone |
29 |
18 |
|
|
Sponge with spermicide (no previous vaginal childbirth) |
16 |
9 |
|
|
Sponge with spermicide (after vaginal childbirth) |
32 |
20 |
|
|
Cervical cap (no previous vaginal childbirth) |
16 |
9 |
|
|
Cervical cap (after vaginal delivery) |
32 |
26 |
|
| Fertility awareness |
Periodic abstinence and fertility awareness methods |
25 |
5 |
| Surgery |
Vasectomy |
Fewer than 1 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
Tubal ligation or tubal implants |
Fewer than 1 |
Fewer than 1 |
|
| No birth control |
No birth control |
85 |
85 |
The numbers shown in this table show the typical use rates for the average population, including people who use their birth control very carefully and those who do not.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference May 3, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Femi Olatunbosun, MB, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
|
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