Contraception Girls
No method
| Failure rate: | 85% | |
| Disadvantages: | Does not protect against STIs |
Natural Family Planning
| How does it work: | Avoidance of intercourse (sex) coitus during presumed 'fertile' days (i.e. days when female partner might get pregnant) | |
| Failure rate: | 2-20% | |
| Disadvantages: | Does not protect against STIs |
Cervical cap with spermicide
| How does it work: | Mechanical barrier, inactivation of sperm | |
| Failure rate: | 11-18% | |
| Disadvantages: | Might cause irritation of cervix, increased risk of kidney infection |
Condom - female
| How does it work: | Thin plastic sheaths with rings at either end. Inserted into vagina before sex. Prevents sperm entering the vagina | |
| Failure rate: | 2-15% | |
| Disadvantages: | Does not protect against all STIs | |
| Advantages: | Protection against some STIs including external genitalia |
Combined oral contraceptives (the pill)
| How does it work: | Stops ovulation, changes in cervical mucus and endometrium | |
| Failure rate: | 0.1 - 3% | |
| Disadvantages: | Rarely clots and stroke, heart attack in older smokers, nausea, headache, depression | |
| Advantages: | Protects against cancer of ovary and lining of uterus, pelvic inflammatory disease, fibrocystic breast disease, ovarian cysts, anaemia and painful periods |
Progestogen-only pill
| How does it work: | Changes in cervical mucus and endometrium, possibly stops ovulation | |
| Failure rate: | 1-4% | |
| Disadvantages: | Irregular, unpredictable bleeding in some women | |
| Advantages: | Protection against pelvic inflammatory disease, anaemia and painful periods |
Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera)
| How does it work: | Stops ovulation, thickens cervical mucus and endometrium. Given by single injection every 12 weeks | |
| Failure rate: | 0.3 -1% | |
| Disadvantages: | Irregular bleeding, headache, weight gain, acne | |
| Advantages: | Effective for three months |
Levonorgesterel subdermal implants (under the skin) (Implanon)
| How does it work: | Similar to progestogen-only pill | |
| Failure rate: | 0.09% | |
| Disadvantages: | Menstrual irregularities, headache, weight gain, acne, removal problems | |
| Advantages: | Ease of use, reversibility, effective for 5 years |
Intrauterine devices
| How does it work: | Block sperm migration, fertilisation and ovum transport | |
| Failure rate: | 0.6 - 2% | |
| Disadvantages: | Rarely may perforate uterus; heavier bleeding with copper device | |
| Advantages: | Long-term, highly effective and reversible contraceptions. Effective immediately |
Intrauterine System (IUS) - containing progesterone (Mirena)
| How does it work: | Small T shaped plastic device containing progesterone. Inserted into uterus by trained doctor or nurse. Thickens cervical mucus to stop sperm reaching egg. Makes lining of uterus thin | |
| Failure rate: | less than 1% | |
| Disadvantages: | Slight bleeding between periods for first three months. May get temporary acne, headaches and breast tenderness | |
| Advantages: | Decrease in menstrual blood loss and period pain. Lasts for three years |