Contraceptives are birth control, used to prevent a woman from getting pregnant when engaging in intercourse. There are many different forms of contraceptives, some used by women and some used by men. The effectiveness of contraceptives varies depending on type and proper use. Contraceptives such as birth control pills and condoms are widely used to prevent pregnancies.
Types of Contraceptives
The most popular types of contraceptives are hormonal birth control pills, which are used by women, and condoms, which are used by men. The organization Advocates for Youth states that other forms of contraceptives include cervical caps, contraceptive rings such as the NuvaRing, contraceptive foam (placed into the woman's vagina) and contraceptive implants. Sometimes two different types of contraceptives are used together.
Advantages
When properly used, contraceptives can be very effective in preventing pregnancies. Different forms of contraceptives have different specific advantages as well. For instance, birth control pills can decrease the amount of menstrual cramps and pain a woman has and they can also decrease acne, according to the Advocates for Youth. An advantage of condoms is that they can prevent the spreading of some infections and do not require a prescription to be purchased. One advantage of the cervical cap is that it works continually for 48 hours and can be put in up to an hour before sex.
Disadvantages
There are some potential disadvantages of contraceptive use. For example, contraceptives that are implanted or injected into the skin tend to cause weight gain in women, according to the Advocates for Youth. Birth control pills can cause nausea and headaches. The National Cancer Institute states that oral contraceptives can increase the risk of ovarian cancer in people with BRCA and BRCA-2 genetic mutations. They also found that long term use of oral contraceptives such as birth control pills has been associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer.
Effectiveness
According to Advocates For Youth, abstinence, which means not having sex, is the only 100 percent effective contraceptive. The effectiveness of all other contraceptive use varies. Planned Parenthood states that besides abstinence, the most effective contraceptives are vasectomies and female contraceptive implants, which have a pregnancy rate of less than one in 100 cases of sexual intercourse. Contraceptive shots, pills, rings and patches generally have a pregnancy rate of two to eight in 100 cases of sexual intercourse. When condoms, cervical caps or sponges are used, 15 to 25 pregnancies occur for every 100 people who use them to prevent pregnancies, according to Planned Parenthood.
Cost
Some methods of contraceptives are inexpensive, while other methods are very costly. Planned Parenthood states that the cost of birth control pills is about $15 to $50 each month, depending on the brand and health coverage. Condoms cost about $1 each and birth control shots like Depo-Provera are usually $35 to $75 per injection, according to Planned Parenthood. Birth control is a continual expense, but one that can save money in the long run for people who do not want to have babies.
