What are the names of contraceptive (birth control) methods?

From the Guidelines

Contraceptive methods include hormonal and non-hormonal options, such as:

• Barrier methods: diaphragm, condoms (male and female), and spermicides
• Hormonal methods: combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC), progestin-only pills (POP), patches (e.g., Evra), vaginal rings (e.g., NuvaRing), and injectables (e.g., Depo-Provera)
• Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC): intrauterine devices (IUDs) such as copper IUDs (e.g., ParaGard) and levonorgestrel-releasing IUDs (e.g., Mirena, Liletta, Kyleena, Skyla), and subdermal implants (e.g., Implanon, Nexplanon)
• Sterilization: female and male sterilization
• Fertility awareness-based methods: Standard Days method, TwoDay method, Ovulation method
• Emergency contraceptive methods: emergency contraceptive pills and copper IUDs for emergency contraception 1

Key characteristics of each method

• Effectiveness: varies by method, with LARC methods being the most effective 1
• Ease of use: varies by method, with some methods requiring more user involvement than others 1
• Reversibility: most methods are reversible, except for sterilization 1
• Side effects: vary by method, with some methods having more common or severe side effects than others 1

Important considerations

• Medical eligibility: certain medical conditions may affect the safety or effectiveness of certain contraceptive methods 1
• Contraindications: certain conditions or medications may contraindicate the use of certain contraceptive methods 1
• Counseling and education: important for helping individuals choose the best method for their needs and ensuring proper use 1

From the Research

Contraceptive Methods

The following are some of the contraceptive methods available:

• Hormonal options:
  • Oral contraceptive pills 2, 3
  • Contraceptive patch 2, 4
  • Implants 2, 3
  • Injection 2
  • Intravaginal 2
  • Intrauterine devices 2, 3
• Barrier products:
  • Condoms 3, 5
  • Spermicide 4
• Natural methods:
  • Fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) 5
• Other methods:
  • Vaginal ring 4
  • Transdermal patch 4
  • Progestin-only pill 4, 3
  • Subdermal implants 3

Effectiveness and Risks

Each contraceptive method has its own effectiveness and risks, including:

• Failure rates:
  • Oral contraceptive pills (4-7% per year) 3
  • Intrauterine devices and subdermal implants (less than 1% per year) 3
  • FABMs (high failure rate if not used appropriately) 5
• Risks:
  • Venous thrombosis (associated with estrogen-containing methods) 3
  • Rare serious risks (associated with progestin-only and nonhormonal methods) 3
  • Adverse events (mainly related to personal predisposition) 5