Most effective contraception methods for women

Women are the most people who interact with contraception.

In most cases, the burden of using contraception falls on them.

The best form of contraception for women is therefore the most effective one.

An effective method can play a dual role of protecting from Sexually Transmitted Diseases, including HIV/Aids.

According to the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), these are the most effective methods of modern contraception.

1. The male condom

The male condom is highly effective in protecting against STIs, including HIV.

The condom is worn by the man, preventing sperm from getting into a woman’s body.

The CDC says that the typical use failure rate of using a condom is 13 per cent.

2. The female condom

The female condom is worn by the woman, keeping sperm off the woman’s body.

“It can be inserted up to eight hours before sexual intercourse,” says the CDC.

Typical use failure rate: 21 per cent.

3. The contraceptive injection

The woman gets an injection of progestin, a hormone that prevents the woman’s ovaries from releasing eggs every month.

Usually, you get the injection every three months and if you fail to get it, you may fall pregnant.

It does not prevent STIs and the typical use failure rate is four per cent.

4. The implant

A thin small rod, that contains progestin is inserted under the skin of a woman’s upper left or right arm.

Usually, it releases progestin for over three to five years, but it can be removed any time the woman wishes.

It is one of the most effective methods with a typical use failure rate of 0.1 per cent.

5. The oral contraceptive

The oral pill can either have the hormone progestin alone or combined with estrogen.

It is taken at the same time every single day and MUST be prescribed by a doctor.

The failure rate is at seven per cent.

6. The intrauterine device

The IUD is a small T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus by a doctor.

It can last over three to six years, a Copper T IUD lasting up to 10 years releasing progestin to prevent pregnancy.

The typical failure rate is 0.1 to 0.8 per cent.

7. Sterilisation

A woman can get her fallopian tubes closed to prevent fertilisation from taking place with a failure rate of 0.5 per cent.

A man can get a vasectomy.

A vasectomy is a procedure done to keep a man’s sperm from going to his penis, says the CDC.

“The man’s ejaculation never has any sperm in it that can fertilise an egg. After the operation, a man visits his doctor for tests to count his sperm count and make are it has dropped to zero,” says the CDC.

This takes about 12 weeks so another form of contraceptive should be used between that period.

Typical use failure is 0.15 per cent.

Note that emergency contraception should not be used as a regular form of contraception but it should be taken five days after unprotected sex or in the event a contraceptive method fails, for example, a condom breaks.