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Health Conditions
How effective are various methods of contraception?
Except for total abstinence (never having sex at all), no form of contraception is 100% effective ? even if it is used perfectly. Failure rates (the percentage of pregnancies that occur among women who are using each type of contraception) are typically higher during the first year that an individual uses a particular type of contraceptive. Additionally, effectiveness may be influenced by social or economic factors, such as body weight, ethnicity, income level, location, marital status, and frequency of sexual intercourse. For comparison, about 85% of fertile (able to become pregnant) women who do not use any form of contraception may be expected to become pregnant in any one year.
Contraceptive Effectiveness Comparison
| Method | Failure Rate |
| Hormonal Methods | |
| COC | 0.1% to 3% |
| Contraceptive Patch | 0.3% to 1% |
Injectable Estrogen and Progestin
(no longer available in U.S.) | Less than 1% |
| Vaginal Ring | 0.3% to 1% |
| Injectable Progestin | 0.3% to 3% |
| IUD | 1% to 4% |
| Progestin-only Pill | 0.5% to 5% |
Progestin Implant
(not currently available in the U.S.) | 1.5% to 9.3% |
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| Non-hormonal Methods | |
| Abstinence (Continual) | 0 |
| Abstinence (Occasional) | Up to 25% |
| Cervical cap | 8% to18%* |
| Condom, Female | 3% to 12% |
| Condom, Male | 3% to 21% |
| Diaphragm (with spermicide) | 2% to 18% |
| Natural Methods** | 1% to 25% |
| Spermicide Alone | 15% to 29% |
Sponge
| 14% to 28% |
| Tubal Ligation | 0.5% to 0.6% |
| Vasectomy | 0.1% to 0.2% |
| Withdrawal | 4% to 27% |
*Failure rates for the cervical cap may reach 30% for women who have had children
**Natural Methods include measuring body temperature, tracking menstrual cycles on the calendar, or determining the thickness of cervical mucus
Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.
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