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Effectiveness of Birth Control Methods* (Text Version)
All birth control methods are arranged in a chart, ranging from most effective methods at the top to least effective methods at the bottom.
Less than 1 pregnancy per 100 women in a year
Reversible
Implant
0.05 percent
Approved for up to 3 years of useIUD
0.2 to 0.8 percent
Hormonal approved for up to 3 to 8 years of use; copper approved for up to 10 years of use
Permanent
6 to 12 pregnancies per 100 women in a year
18 or more pregnancies per 100 women in a year
Abbreviations: HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; IUD, intrauterine device; STIs, sexually transmitted infections.
Other methods of birth control
Lactational amenorrhea method: This is a temporary method of birth control that can be used for the first 6 months after giving birth if you are exclusively breastfeeding.
Emergency contraception: Emergency contraceptive pills taken or a copper IUD inserted within 5 days of unprotected sex can reduce the risk of pregnancy.
Withdrawal: The penis is withdrawn from the vagina before ejaculating. 22 out of 100 women using this method will get pregnant in the first year.
*Percentage of women who will get pregnant within the first year of typical use of the method
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PFSI028: This information is designed as an educational aid to patients and sets forth current information and opinions related to women’s health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care, nor does it comprise all proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for a treating clinician’s independent professional judgment. For ACOG’s complete disclaimer, visit www.acog.org/WomensHealth-Disclaimer.
Copyright April 2023 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, posted on the internet, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher.
Adapted from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Reproductive Health and Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs (CCP). Knowledge for health project. Family planning: a global handbook for providers (2011 update). Baltimore, MD; Geneva, Switzerland: CCP and WHO; 2011; and Trussell J. Contraceptive failure in the United States. Contraception 2011;83:397–404.
