Effectiveness of Contraceptive Methods

More
Effective

Implant

Intrauterine Device
(IUD)

Sterilization

Male
(Vasectomy)

Female
(Abdominal, Laparoscopic, Hysteroscopic)

LNG - 0.2 % Copper T - 0.8 %

Injectable

Pill

0.15 %

0.5 %

Patch

SUN MON TUES WED THUR FRI

Diaphragm

Ring

SAT

Patch, Ring: Keep in place,

change on time.

2
3
4

9%

6%
Male Condom

18 or more pregnancies
per 100 women in a year

18 %

21 %

JANUARY

1
8
15
22
29

2
9
16
23
30

3
10
17
24
31

4
11
18
25
1

5
12
19
26
2

24 %
Less
Effective

9%

Female Condom

Fertility-Awareness
Based Methods
6
13
20
27
3

7
14
21
28
4

Injectable: Get repeat

injections on time.
Pills: Take a pill each day.

6-12 pregnancies per

100 women in a year

After procedure, little or

nothing to do or remember.
Vasectomy and
hysteroscopic sterilization:
Use another method for
first 3 months.

Less than 1 pregnancy

per 100 women in a year
0.05 %*

How to make your method

most effective

9%
Withdrawal

22 %

12 %
Sponge

24 % parous women
12 % nulliparous women

Spermicide

Sp

erm

icid

Effectiveness of Contraceptive Methods

This is a chart showing the effectiveness of different contraceptive methods. Effectiveness is measured as the number of unintended pregnancies that will occur for every 100
women using that method in a year, under typical use.
Contraceptive methods are categorized into three levels of effectiveness: most effective, moderately effective, and least effective.
The most effective methods result in less than one pregnancy per one hundred women in a year, with typical use.They include the permanent methods of male and female sterilization. The most
effective methods also include two reversible methods, implants and intrauterine devices.
The moderately effective methods result in 6-12 pregnancies per 100 women in a year, with typical use. They include injectables (such as Depo-Provera), oral contraceptive
pills, patch, ring and the diaphragm.
The least effective methods result in 18 or more pregnancies per 100 women in a year, with typical use. They include male and female condoms, withdrawal, sponge,
fertility-awareness-based methods, and spermicide.
Condoms should always be used to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections.
Other methods of contraception include Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM), which is a highly effective but temporary method of contraception.
Emergency contraceptive pills or a copper IUD after unprotected intercourse can be used as emergency contraception, and substantially reduce risk of pregnancy.

Diaphragm: Use correctly

every time you have sex.
Condoms, sponge,
withdrawal, spermicides:
Use correctly every time
you have sex.
Fertility awareness-based
methods: Abstain or
use condoms on fertile
days. Newest methods
(Standard Days Method
and TwoDay Method)
may be the easiest to use
and consequently more
effective.

28 %

* The percentages indicate the number out of every 100 women who experienced an unintended pregnancy
within the first year of typical use of each contraceptive method.
CONDOMS SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS.

Other Methods of Contraception

Lactational Amenorrhea Method: LAM is a highly effective, temporary method of contraception.
Emergency Contraception: Emergency contraceptive pills or a copper IUD after unprotected
intercourse substantially reduces risk of pregnancy.
Adapted from WHOs Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers (2001) and Trussell et al (2011).
CS 231556