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.
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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.
Not all methods of birth control offer protection against sexually-transmitted infections. Abstinence from all forms of sexual behavior will protect against the sexual transmission of these infections. The male latex condom offers some protection against some of these diseases with correct and consistent use, as does the female condom, although the latter has only been approved for vaginal sex. The female condom may offer greater protection against sexually-transmitted infections that pass through skin to skin contact, as the outer ring covers more exposed skin than the male condom, and can be used during anal sex to guard against sexually-transmitted infections, though knowledge of the product is important in order to ensure its effectiveness.
The remaining methods of birth control do not offer significant protection against the sexual transmission of these diseases.
However, so-called sexually-transmitted infections may also be transmitted non-sexually, and therefore, abstinence from sexual behavior does not guarantee 100% protection against sexually-transmitted infections. For example, HIV may be transmitted through contaminated needles which may be used in tattooing, body piercing, or injections. Health-care workers have acquired HIV through occupational exposure to accidental injuries with needles.
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