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Contraception Health Article

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Contraception

Contraception (birth control) is the prevention of conception (pregnancy).

In the United States, 60% of boys and 50% of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are sexually active, yet only half of these adolescents use contraception the first time they have intercourse. Approximately one million adolescent girls become pregnant in this country each year, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are becoming more prevalent. Because sexual exploration will be a fact of life for many adolescents, knowledgeable adults should be available to discuss contraceptive alternatives with them before such exploration begins.

Male condom

Condoms are inexpensive and easy to obtain. Because the condom is the only known way to reduce the spread of STDs (including AIDS), a condom should always be used during sexual intercourse, even when another contraceptive method is used. For contraceptive purposes, a condom alone should never be relied on for protection against pregnancy. For adolescents who use condoms alone, the odds of becoming pregnant within a year are one in five.

Female condom

The female condom, a new form of contraception, is less effective than the male condom at preventing pregnancy and STD infection. Like the male condom, the female condom can be easily obtained in pharmacies.

Contraceptive type	Estimated effectiveness	Risks	STD protection	Convenience	Availability
Male condom	85%	Irritation or allergic reaction (rare)	Latex condoms help protect, especially against herpes and AIDS	Applied immediately before intercourse; used only once and discarded	Nonprescription
Female condom	74-79%	Irritation or allergic reaction (rare)	May protect; not as effective as male condom	Applied immediately before intercourse; used only once and discarded	Nonprescription
Spermicide alone	70-80%	Irritation or allergic reaction (rare)	Unknown	Applied no more than one hour prior to intercourse	Nonprescription
Sponge	72-82%	Irritation or allergic reaction (rare); difficulty in removal; toxic shock syndrome (very rare)	None	Can be inserted hours before intercourse and left in place up to 24 hours; used only once and discarded	Nonprescription
Oral contraceptive	97-99%	Blood clots, heart attack and stroke, gallbladder disease, liver tumors, water retention, hypertension, mood changes, dizziness and nausea; not for smokers	None	Must be taken on a daily schedule, regardless of frequency of intercourse	Prescription
Implant	99%	Menstrual cycle irregularity; headaches, nervousness, depression, nausea, dizziness, change of appetite, breast tenderness, weight gain, enlargement of ovaries and/or fallopian tubes, excessive growth of body and facial hair, may subside after first year	None	Effective 24 hours after implantation for approximately 5 years; can be removed by physician at any time	Prescription; minor outpatient surgical procedure
Injection	99%	Amenorrhea, weight gain, and other side effects similar to implant	None	One injection every three months	Prescription

Contraceptive type	Estimated effectiveness	Risks	STD protection	Convenience	Availability
Source: FDA Consumer, September 1993.
Note: For comparison, 60-85% of sexually active women using no contraception would be expected to become pregnant in a year.
Diaphragm with spermicide	82-94%	Irritation and allergic reactions (rare); bladder infection; toxic shock syndrome (very rare)	None	Inserted before intercourse; can be left in place 24 hours, but additional spermicide must be inserted if intercourse is repeated	Prescription
Cervical cap with spermicide	At least 82%	Abnormal Pap test; vaginal or cervical infection; toxic shock syndrome (very rare)	None	Can remain in place for 48 hours, not necessary to reapply spermicide for repeated intercourse; may be difficult to insert	Prescription