Contraceptive Effectiveness

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	Perfect Use	Failure Rate/Typical Use*
General Methods	.	.
Abstinence **	100%	60-88%
No Protection	10-20	80-90
Withdrawal	96	25
Rhythm Method	90	15-25
Medical Methods	.	.
The Pill (female) ****	99.5-99.9	7.5
Emergency Contraception (female)	99	3-5
Gels and Foams	95	15
Genital Devices	.	.
Male Condom	98	14
Female Condom	97	10-15
Cervical Caps and Diaphragms (female)	98	10-15
IUD - Mirena	99+	4
IUD - Paragard	99	4
Shot - Depo Provera	99+	NA
Patch - Ortho Evra	99	NA
Ring	99	NA
The Sponge (female)	95	15-20
Surgeries	.	.
Vasectomy (male) ***	99+	0.15
Tubal Litigation (female)	99.5	0.05
* Recognizes that 100% proper application and use is not always attained. In order to achieve the Ideal Success Rate, the method must be used on 100% of all occasions. ** Higher failure rate than all other forms of birth control with the possible exception of no protection at all. *** Note: We expect that castration would show similar results. **** Depending on formulation. Sources: Perfect use--Hatcher, RA, et al., Contraceptive Technology, 17th ed., 1998, page 216. Typical use--AGI, Fulfilling the Promise: Public Policy and U.S. Family Planning Clinics, 2000, page 44.

Source of most of the information: www.guttmacher.org/pubs/spib_SE.pdf  

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Condoms are easier to change than diapers and fail less often that abstinence.

Contraceptives should be used on every conceivable occasion. - Spike Milligan