Unlike Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who do not practice birth control for religious reasons and who had 19 children as of August 2010, many individuals and couples choose to limit the number of children they have, or at least to space their children a few years apart. Available methods for family planning and birth control may be short-term, long-term or permanent, and vary greatly in expense as well as effectiveness.
Natural Family Planning
The "rhythm" method consists of abstinence during the woman's fertile part of her menstrual cycle. The rhythm method has a failure rate of 13 to 25 percent, according to MayoClinic.com Withdrawal requires the male to "pull out" before climaxing. Withdrawal requires more discipline than some individuals can manage, and sperm may enter the woman's cervix even when performed properly, MayoClinic.com warns. Withdrawal has a failure rate of 17 to 27 percent.
The symptothermal method, or STM, can be as effective as hormonal contraceptives when performed correctly, according to research published in the online journal "Human Reproduction," and described by ScienceDaily.com. STM combines two natural family planning methods: tracking the woman's body temperature along with changes in her vaginal secretions to determine the fertile period of her cycle, according to the study.
Barrier Methods
Barrier methods of contraception prevent conception by blocking sperm from reaching the uterus. Condoms are inexpensive, easy to use and effective, when used correctly, which means that the male applies a new condom with every instance of sexual intercourse. They have a failure rate of 1 in 50 and also offer protection against sexually transmitted diseases, according to MayoClinic.com. Other forms of barrier protection are designed for the female to insert into her vagina, including the female condom, diaphragm, cervical cap and contraceptive sponge. Female barrier methods have failure rates that range from 14 to 21 percent. Many couples use spermicides, which are designed to kill sperm, along with barrier methods of birth control to increase their effectiveness, according to Epigee.org and MayoClinic.com. Spermicides alone have a 29 percent failure rate.
Hormonal Methods
Hormonal methods of birth control for women include "the Pill," patches applied to the skin, rings inserted into the vagina, hormonal implants and injections. The failure rate for hormonal methods ranges from 1 percent to 5 percent, according to MayoClinic.com. Researchers at the University of Manchester began trials in 2009 with hormonal injections for men, according to ScienceDaily.com. A major risk of hormonal birth control methods for women is blood clots, also known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, according to MayoClinic.com.
Long-Term and Permanent Contraception
Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, are the most popular form of long-term contraception in Europe, according to ScienceDaily.com. IUDs are implanted into the uterus, where they release hormones or copper, which prevents conception, according to MayoClinic.com. Only 1 percent of all women will become pregnant with an IUD. Copper IUDs work for up to 10 years; hormonal IUDs work for up to five years, according to MayoClinic.com. Permanent contraception methods for women include tubal ligation, commonly known as "having your tubes tied"; Adiana, in which silicone is implanted into the fallopian tubes; and Essure, where small metal coils are entered into the uterus. Vasectomy, where the tubes that carry sperm to the semen are cut, is the only permanent means of contraception for men as of 2010, according to MayoClinic.com.
