Which Of These Birth Control Methods Is The Most Effective?

When it comes to preventing babies, not all methods are created equal.

Birth control is a fantastic way to avoid babies. But some options are more effective than others.

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And sometimes the effectiveness depends on how perfectly you use it. Since most of us aren't ~perfect~, doctors and researchers call that "typical use" when they're looking at how effective a birth control method is. They compare that to "perfect use," which is defined as using the method absolutely flawlessly every single time.

In this quiz, we're asking about "typical use" — not "perfect use."

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FYI: Effectiveness here is calculated by subtracting the failure rate, or the percentage of couples who experience an unintended pregnancy during the first year on this method. So if something is 95% effective, that means it has a 5% failure rate, which means that 5% of couples would get pregnant during the first year of using this method.

Medical information sourced by the CDC, the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, and Bedsider.