The Best and Worst Birth Control Methods

Don't rely on spermicide: 24/7 Wall St.
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted May 11, 2017 5:19 PM CDT
The Best and Worst Birth Control Methods
The birth control implant called Essure.   (Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. via AP)

The pill is the most common form of birth control in the US—but it's far from the most effective. With a 9% failure rate, the pill finds itself at the No. 6 spot on 24/7 Wall St.'s list of the most effective methods, based on CDC data showing the number of women who experienced an unintended pregnancy while using them. The most and least effective forms of birth control with their rate of failure:

Most effective:

  1. Implant (.05%)
  2. Male sterilization (0.15%)
  3. IUD (0.2-0.8%)
  4. Female sterilization (0.5%)
  5. Injectable contraceptives (6%)
  6. Pill (9%)
  7. Patch (9%)
  8. Vaginal ring (9%)

Least effective:
  1. Spermicide (28%)
  2. Fertility-awareness based methods (24%)
  3. Sponge (12%-24%)
  4. Withdrawal (22%)
  5. Female condom (21%)
  6. Male condom (18%)
  7. Diaphragm (12%)
Check out more details here or see the fastest-growing birth control method. (More birth control stories.)

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