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Question:
Hi, I have a question about statistics concerning the effectiveness of various birth control methods. When a contraceptive is advertised as 97% effective, does that mean that a couple has a three in one-hundred chance of getting pregnant, or that three out of the one hundred times that they have sex they have the same risk of getting pregnant as if they were having unprotected sex? (or does it simply depend on which study is being cited?) Also -- I have several friends who are married, who claimed to be using birth control but got pregnant anyway within a short time (a few months). If a woman is using birth control pills correctly (at the same time each day), what is the likelihood of this occuring? If a couple REALLY wanted to postpone having children for a few years, is there a nearly fail-safe way of birth control other than combining several methods at once (and what is the best way if a couple prefers not to use a condom?) Thank you very much; your site offers a lot of free, useful and accurate information to a lot of people.
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Answer:
by Scott Gross: (06/27/2006)
Hello and thank you for all of your wonderful questions. I'll try to be as thorough as I can. First you asked about the statistics of birth control method effectiveness. The 97% that you cited basically refers to the number of people who did not get pregnant out of 100 while they conducted the study (usually over the course of a year). So when birth control pills are cited as being 99.9% effective that means that only 1 person out of 1000 got pregnant while using birth control pills.
You should also know that there is a "Perfect User rate" and a "Typical User rate" for birth control effectiveness. Perfect User rates refer to how effective the method is if it is used perfectly each and every time the couple has sex. Typical User rate refers to the fact that not everyone knows how to use their birth control methods perfectly, and tries to give us a sense of how effective these methods are in reality.
It is certainly possible for a couple to be using birth control and still get pregnant. Certain birth control methods are more effective than others and this could be one possible explaination for your friends' pregnancy. Often times though, birth control fails because the person using it is not using it correctly or to the best of their ability. For example, if a woman is taking birth control pills at the same time, every day, and never misses a pill then her chances of getting pregnant over the course of one year are less than 1 in 1000. If, however, she is not taking her pills every day, does not take them at the same time, or misses pills and doesn't use a backup method (like a condom) then her chances of getting pregnant increase dramatically even though she's still taking the pills some of the time.
Finally you asked about methods for a couple that doesn't want to get pregnant now, but might want to later and they don't want to use condoms. The most effective methods in this case are hormonal methods like the birth control pill, the patch, the ring, or Depo Provera (the shot). When used correctly (and they are very easy to use) they are all nearly 100% effective against pregnancy and a woman's fertility usually comes back within 6 months after the method is stopped. Hormonal methods are not for everyone, however, and they also carry with them some undesirable side effects and health risks.
Natual Family Planning can be highly effective, but is also very difficult to use correctly and requires a lot of dedication and self control.
Diaphragms are slightly less effective than pills and condoms, but are still readily available. They do require that you be comfortable with the female anatomy to use correctly and require a doctor's visit to obtain. The sponge is slightly less effective than the diaphragm, but can be purchased in the drug store and are a bit easier to use (but you still need to be comfortable with how it is used).
I hope that helps to clear some of this up for you. Birth control is a complex issue, but it really comes down to weighing all the pros and cons of each method and deciding what is right for you and your partner.
Take care,
M. Scott GrossReviewed by: Patricia Fawver Ph.D. in Sexology
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