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Birth control is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman giving birth or becoming pregnant. Methods and intentions typically termed birth control may be considered a pivotal ingredient to family planning. Mechanisms which are intended to reduce the likelihood of the fertilisation of an ovum by a spermatozoon may more specifically be referred to as contraception. Contraception differs from abortion in that the former prevents fertilization, while the latter terminates an already established pregnancy. Methods of birth control which may prevent the implantation of an embryo if fertilization occurs are medically considered to be contraception but characterized by some opponents as abortifacients.

Effectiveness of birth control

Poster released in the 1970s by the Family Planning Association of Victoria, Australia.The most effective methods in typical use are those that do not depend upon regular user action. Surgical sterilization and intrauterine devices (IUDs) both have failure rates of less than 1% per year.

Other methods may be highly effective if used consistently and correctly, but can have typical use failure rates that are considerably lower due to incorrect or ineffective usage by the user. Hormonal contraceptives, fertility awareness methods, and ecological breastfeeding (a strict form of LAM) can have failure rates of less than 1% per year. Typical use failure rates of hormonal contraceptives are as high as 8% per year. Periodic abstinence methods (there is insufficient data to distinguish between statistical methods, i.e. Rhythm, and observational methods, i.e. fertility awareness) have typical use failure rates as high as 25% per year.

Condoms and cervical barriers such as the diaphragm have similar typical use failure rates (15.0% and 16%, respectively), but perfect usage of the condom is more effective (2% failure vs 6%) and condoms have the additional feature of helping to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. The withdrawal method, if used consistently and correctly, has a failure rate of 4%. Due to the difficulty of consistently using withdrawal correctly, it has a typical use failure rate is 27% and is not recommended by medical professionals.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_control

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