There are a variety of contraceptives available in the 21st century. They may take the form of medications, such as the pill, barriers such as female and male condoms or the diaphragm or other forms. None of them are 100 percent effective in preventing conception and only some of them can help protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Condoms
Condoms are one of the older birth control methods. They are considered barrier contraceptives since the prevent sperm from entering the vagina. According to the Mayo Clinic, the male condom that fits snuggly over the penis is approximately 85 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. The female condom is a newer invention. It is fit loosely in the vagina like a soft, rubbery cup. The cup's end fits across the cervix while the open and wider end stays outside the vagina. The Mayo Clinic reports it is about 79 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. Both types of condoms also work to prevent STDs.
The Pill
Oral contraceptives were developed in the 1950s and marketed by 1960 following U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. According to RxList.com, the pill is made up of female hormones of a synthetic nature and prevent a woman from ovulation, the release of an egg. There are two methods of using the pill, depending on the formulation. The first is a 21-day cycle with seven days off. In other words, you take the pill for 21 days, then don't take it for seven before starting a new cycle. You still will have your period. The 28-day cycle pills still only have 21 days of birth control medication, with seven placebos to serve as "reminders" to continue taking them. A menstrual period also will occur with this form of oral contraceptive. There also are two types of oral contraceptive methods. Monophasic pills all have the same ingredients for each day. Multiphasic contraceptive pills alter the amount of synthetic hormone through each day. While the pill has a reported 92 percent effectiveness rating, according to the Mayo Clinic, they do not protect at all against STDs.
IUD
Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, are implanted in the uterus and are very effective in preventing pregnancy, but do not help prevent STDs. The more common IUD is a copper. It works by preventing sperm from reaching the uterus. It also will prevent a fertilized embryo from developing by keeping it from attachment to the wall of the uterus and the copper it releases neutralizes sperm. The Mayo Clinic puts the effectiveness of the copper IUD at greater than 99.1 percent. While it has a higher immediate cost than other contraceptive methods, one IUD can remain in the uterus for a decade.
