Depo-Provera is a shot that your clinician will give you every 12 weeks.
Advantages:
- 97-99.7% effectiveness
- Effective for 12 weeks
- No pill to take daily
Challenges:
- Irregular bleeding
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Sore breasts
- Must receive injection every three months
- Need a prescription
- Loss of monthly period, change of appetite, weight gain, depression, hair loss, or increased hair on the face or body, nervousness, skin rash or spotty darkening of the skin, change in sex drive
The condom is a latex covering for the penis. To use you cover the penis with a condom (sheath made of thin latex or plastic) before intercourse to keep sperm from joining egg.
Advantages:
- Can be bought in a drug or grocery store
- Low cost
- No prescription needed
- No hormonal side effects
- 85-98% effective
The female condom is a polyurethane (plastic) pouch with flexible rings on each side. It prevents semen from entering the vagina and reaching the egg.
Advantages:
- Can be bought in a drug or grocery store
- Low cost
- No prescription needed
- No hormonal side effects
- 79-95% effective
-Offers protection against STDS
-Good for people with latex allergies
-Can be used with oil- or water-based lubricants
Challenges:
- May be noisy
- May be hard to insert
- May slip during intercourse
5pck $14
79-95%
- May be noisy - May be hard to insert - May slip during intercourse
Spermicide comes in the following forms - contraceptive foam, cream, jelly, film, or suppository. To use spermicide you insert it into the vagina shortly before intercourse. This method is most effective when used with a male condom.
**Using the spermicide nonoxynol-9 many times a day, by people at risk for HIV or for anal sex, may irritate tissue and increase the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Advantages:
- 71-85% effectiveness
- Low cost
- No need for a prescription
- Can be bought in a drug or grocery store
Challenges:
- May irritate sex organs
- Can be messy
The sponge is made of solid polyurethane foam that is soft, round and contains spermicide. It is inserted into the vagina before intercourse and prevents the sperm from entering the cervix.
Advantages:
- Low cost
- No need for a prescription
- 68-91% effectiveness
- The sponge does not interrupt sex play - it can be inserted hours ahead of time
- Can be bought in a drug store or grocery store
Challenges:
- May irritate sex organs
- Can be messy
- May be difficult to remove
- Cannot be used during vaginal bleeding
3pck $9
68-91%
- May irritate sex organs
- Can be messy - May be difficult to remove - Cannot be used during vaginal bleeding
IUD(Intrauterine Device) is a small plastic device inserted by your physician. There are 2 types of IUDs. One made of cooper and left in place for 12 years, and one that slowly releases hormones over a 5 years period.
Advantages:
- Nothing to put in place before intercourse
- 99.2-99.9% effectiveness
- Can be left in place for 5-12 years depending on the kind inserted
- No pill to take daily
Challenges:
- Increased cramps and heavier periods
- Spotting between periods
- Increased chance of tubal infection leading to infertility
- If pregnancy occurs it is more likely to be ectopic
$175-500/exam, insertion, and
follow-up visit
99.2-99.9%
- Increased cramps and heavier periods
- Spotting between periods
- Increase chance of tubal infection leading to infertility
- If pregnancy occurs it is more likely to be ectopic
The Shield is a silicone cup that your physician will fit you for that covers your cervix.
Advantages:
- 85% effectiveness
- No hormonal side effects
- No health concerns
Challenges:
- Can be hard for some to use
- May cause some discomfort for women and their partner
- Should not be left in place for longer than 48 hours
$15-75/shield
$50-200/exam
85%
- Difficult for some women to use
- May cause discomfort for some women or their partners
- Should not be left in place for longer
than 48hrs
The Pill uses hormones to prevent pregnancy. Your physician will prescribe the best one for you. The pill needs to be taken daily.
Advantages:
- 92-99.7% effectiveness
- Nothing needs to be inserted before intercourse
- Can help period to be more regular and shorter
- Can lessen menstrual flow, cramping and symptoms of PMS
Challenges:
- Possible health risks, blood clots, heart attack, and stroke-women over 35 and those who smoke are at increased risks
- Other side effects include change in sex drive and temporary irregular bleeding, weight gain or loss, breast tenderness, nausea
- Rarely-vomiting, changes in mood, and other discomforts
- Must be taken daily
- Need a prescription
$20-35/monthly
pill-pack
$30-175/exam
92-99.7%
- Possible health risks, blood clots, heart attack, and stroke
- Women over 35 and those who smoke are at increased risks
- Other side effects include change in sex drive and temporary irregular bleeding, weight gain or loss, breast tenderness, nausea
- Rarely-vomiting, changes in mood, and other discomforts
The NuvaRing is a small flexible ring that is inserted into the vagina for three weeks and removed for the fourth week. The NuvaRing uses hormones to prevent pregnancy.
Advantages:
- There is nothing to be taken daily
- Protects against pregnancy for 1 month
- 92 - 99.7% effectiveness
- You do not need to be fitted by a physician
- Nothing needs to be inserted before intercourse
- Can help period to be more regular and shorter
- Can lessen menstrual flow, cramping and symptoms of PMS
Challenges:
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Vaginal irritation or infection may occurs
- Possible health risks, blood clots, heart attack, and stroke-women over 35 and those who smoke are at increased risks
- Other side effects include change in sex drive and temporary irregular bleeding, weight gain or loss, breast tenderness, nausea
- Rarely- vomiting, changes in mood, and other discomforts
- Cannot be used with Diaphragm, Cap or the Shield
$10-35/month
supply of rings
$35-175/exam
92 - 99.70%
- Increased vaginal discharges
- Vaginal irritation or infection
- Cannot use a diaphragm, cap, shield for a backup method of birth control
- Rare but serious health risks - including blood clots, heart attacks, and stroke
- Women over 35 and those who smoke are at greater risks
- Other side effects include change in sex drive and temporary irregular bleeding, weight gain or loss, breast tenderness, nausea
- Rarely-vomiting, changes in mood, and other discomforts
The Patch (Ortho Evra) is a patch applied to the skin and left on for 3 weeks and removed for the fourth week. It is hormone based product that reduces risk of pregnancy.
Advantages:
- Protects against pregnancy for 1 month
- 92 - 99.7% effectiveness
- There is no pill to take daily
- There is nothing to insert before intercourse
Challenges:
- Skin irritation where applied
- Increased menstrual cramps
- May not be as effective in women weighing over 198 pounds
- Other side effects include change in sex drive and temporary irregular bleeding, weight gain or loss, breast tenderness, nausea
- Rarely-vomiting, changes in mood, and other discomforts
$30-40/
monthly supplies
$35-175/exam
92 - 99.70%
- Skin reaction at the site of application
- Menstrual cramps
- May not be as effective for women who weigh more than 198 pounds
- Other side effects include change in sex drive and temporary irregular bleeding, weight gain or loss, breast tenderness, nausea
- Rarely-vomiting, changes in mood, and other discomforts
Emergency contraception pill is a pill that a doctor can prescribe for you if you have had unprotected sex. If you are under 18 years old, you will need a prescription. Emergency contraception pills prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation or fertilization of the egg.
Advantages:
- The pills can be started up to 120 hours after unprotected sex
- 75-89% effective if first pills are taken within 72 hours
Challenges:
- Your period may start sooner or later than usual
- Your period may be heavier or lighter than normal
- Some people feel sick to their stomachs for the first 24 hours
- Breast tenderness, dizziness and headaches are common symptoms
$8-$240
75-89%
- Your period may start sooner or later than usual
- Your period may be heavier or lighter than normal
- Some people feel sick to their stomachs for the first 24 hours
- Breast tenderness, dizziness and headaches are common symptoms
