Choose the Right Birth Control

Birth control (also called contraception) can help you prevent pregnancy when you don’t want to have a baby. Condoms are a type of birth control that can also help protect you and your sex partner from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

How do I choose the right birth control?

There isn’t 1 method of birth control that’s right for everyone. Each type of birth control has pros and cons.

Here are some things to think about when choosing a birth control method:

• Do you want to have children in the future? How soon?
• Do you have any health conditions?
• How often do you have sex?
• Do you also need protection from HIV and other STIs?
• How well does the birth control method work?
• Are there any side effects?
• Will you be able to use it correctly every time?

You may also want to think about:

• How much a birth control method costs — and if your insurance will cover it
• Whether you need to see a doctor or go to a pharmacy to get the birth control — and how often you’ll have to go

How does birth control work?

It depends on the type of birth control you choose. Different methods of birth control work in different ways. And some methods are better at preventing pregnancy than others.

No matter what type of birth control you choose, it will work best when you use it exactly as directed. Make sure you understand and follow the directions that come with the method — and talk with your doctor or nurse if you have any questions.

Learn about the effectiveness of different birth control methods. 

IUDs (intrauterine devices)

An IUD is a small, T-shaped piece of plastic with copper or a hormone that a doctor places inside the uterus.

There are 2 kinds:

• Copper IUDs release a small amount of copper to prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg. They can last for up to 10 years.
• Hormonal IUDs release a small amount of a hormone called levonorgestrel to prevent pregnancy. They’re available in different doses and last from 3 to 8 years, depending on the dose. 

IUDs are very effective at preventing pregnancy. You don't feel the IUD when it’s in place — and there's nothing to do or remember once it's there.

IUDs don't protect you or your sex partner from STIs. But you can use a condom with your IUD to help protect against STIs.

If you want to have your IUD removed  — for example, because you want to get pregnant — a doctor can remove it. Read more about IUDs.

Hormonal methods

Most hormonal methods of birth control work by preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg each month. They also cause other changes that make it less likely that you'll get pregnant.

Hormonal IUDs are a type of hormonal birth control. Other hormonal methods include:

• Implant (a small rod put under the skin) — can last up to 3 years
• Shot — given every 3 months by a doctor or nurse or by the person using the shot
• Patch — worn on the skin and replaced once a week, with 1 week off every month
• Ring — put in the vagina for 3 weeks, removed for 1 week, and then replaced with the same ring or a new ring, depending on the type
• Birth control pills — taken every day

These methods don't protect you or your sex partner from STIs. But you can use condoms to help protect against STIs while using hormonal birth control. 

Keep in mind that some hormonal methods take more effort to use, and this can make it harder to use them correctly. For example, you have to remember to take birth control pills every day — but once an implant is in place, it lasts for up to 3 years.

If you're interested in a hormonal method of birth control, talk with your doctor or nurse about which kind is best for you. Read more about hormonal birth control options.

Barrier methods

Barrier methods work by preventing the sperm from getting to the egg. Common barrier methods include:

• External (male) condoms (worn on the penis)
• Internal (female) condoms (placed inside the vagina)
• Diaphragm (placed inside the vagina)
• Cervical cap (placed inside the vagina)
• Sponge (placed inside the vagina)
• Spermicide (a gel, cream, foam, or other substance that stops sperm from reaching the egg), which can be used on its own or with an external condom, diaphragm, or cervical cap
• Vaginal pH modulator (a gel that changes the vagina’s acidity to stop sperm from reaching the egg), which can be used on its own or with an external condom, diaphragm, or cervical cap 

External condoms are also very effective at preventing HIV and reducing the risk of other STIs when you use them correctly every time you have sex. Get tips on how to use a condom correctly.

Internal condoms may help prevent HIV and other STIs. Diaphragms, cervical caps, sponges, spermicides, and vaginal pH modulators don't protect against STIs.

Read more about barrier methods.

Fertility awareness-based methods

Using fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) is sometimes called natural family planning. With FABMs, you learn which days pregnancy is more likely to happen. If you want to prevent pregnancy, you don’t have sex on those days — or you use another method of birth control.

FABMs work best if you have regular periods. It's important to know that FABMs are not usually as effective at preventing pregnancy as other forms of birth control, like IUDs or hormonal methods.

You can also use FABMs when you’re trying to get pregnant. Read more about fertility awareness-based methods.

Emergency contraception

Sometimes you may forget to use birth control — for example, you could miss a pill or shot. And sometimes birth control methods can fail, like if a condom breaks. If this happens, you may want to use emergency contraception to help prevent pregnancy.

There are 2 options for emergency contraception:

• Copper IUD — A doctor will need to place the IUD inside your uterus within 5 days of unprotected sex.
• Emergency contraception pills (ECPs, also called the morning-after pill) — You'll need to take ECPs as soon as possible within 5 days of unprotected sex. The sooner you take them, the more effective they are. You can buy some ECPs at a drugstore without a prescription. To get other ECPs, you need a prescription from a doctor.

Taking ECPs won’t harm a pregnancy if you're already pregnant. Emergency contraception won't protect you from STIs, so consider getting tested for STIs if you didn't use a condom — or if the condom broke.

To learn more, you can:

• Read more about emergency contraception methods.
• Read more about ECPs. 

Permanent birth control (sterilization)

Sterilization is a permanent method of birth control. This is an option for people who are completely sure they don’t ever want to get pregnant or cause a pregnancy in the future. There are different types of permanent birth control procedures:

• Vasectomy: This means cutting or blocking the tubes that carry sperm to the outside of the penis.
• Tubal ligation: This means cutting or blocking the tubes that carry eggs into the uterus. 

Read more about permanent birth control (sterilization).

What types of birth control help prevent STIs?

Abstinence (not having vaginal, anal, or oral sex) is the only completely effective way to prevent STIs. But using an external condom correctly every time you have sex is a very effective way to prevent many STIs, including HIV. Female condoms may also lower the risk of STIs.

Birth control pills, IUDs, other hormonal methods, FABM, permanent birth control, and most barrier methods (except condoms) don’t prevent STIs. If you choose one of these types of birth control, it won't protect you or your sex partner from HIV and other STIs — so you may also want to use condoms for protection.

Do I need to see a doctor to get birth control?

It depends on which birth control method you choose. You can buy some birth control methods at a store without a prescription. For other methods, you'll need to see a doctor.

Birth control methods you can get without a prescription include:

• Condoms
• Some ECPs
• Birth control sponge
• Spermicide
• Certain birth control pills — there’s 1 type of birth control pill that you can get without a prescription, including at most pharmacies

Birth control methods you can get only from a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist include:

• Most types of birth control pills
• Patch
• Diaphragm and cervical cap
• Shot
• Ring
• Vaginal pH modulator

You need a medical procedure for:

• Permanent birth control
• IUD
• Implant 

Check out these resources to learn more about the different types of birth control:

• Birth Control
• Contraception