What are non-hormonal birth control pills?

From the Guidelines

Currently, there is no non-hormonal birth control pill available on the market, and the most effective non-hormonal option is the copper IUD, such as Paragard, which provides up to 10 years of protection. The only oral contraceartives available are hormonal pills that contain estrogen and/or progestin, such as progestin-only pills, which have a higher failure rate due to the need for stringent adherence 1. If you're looking for non-hormonal birth control options, consider the following:

• Copper IUDs, which create a sperm-hostile environment in the uterus
• Barrier methods like condoms, diaphragms, or cervical caps, which are effective when used correctly
• Fertility awareness methods, which track ovulation to identify fertile days, but require consistent monitoring and have higher failure rates
• Spermicides containing nonoxynol-9, which can be used alone or with barriers, but are less effective when used alone It's worth noting that some non-hormonal birth control pills are in development, including ones that target sperm mobility or egg fertilization, but these are still in clinical trials and not yet FDA-approved 1. Non-hormonal methods are particularly important for people who experience side effects from hormonal contraceptives or have medical conditions that make hormonal methods unsuitable.

From the Research

Non-Hormonal Birth Control Pill Options

There are several non-hormonal birth control methods available, including:

• Barriers such as male and female condoms, diaphragms, and cervical caps 2, 3
• Copper intrauterine devices (IUD) which are highly efficient and widely used 3
• Spermicides, which can be used in conjunction with other barrier methods 2, 3

Effectiveness of Non-Hormonal Methods

The effectiveness of non-hormonal birth control methods varies, with:

• Copper IUDs being highly effective 3
• Barrier methods such as condoms and diaphragms having lower effectiveness, but still being useful for preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections 2, 3
• New types of diaphragms and cervical caps having similar efficacy to older types, but with some differences in terms of user experience and side effects 4

User Experience and Side Effects

User experience and side effects can vary between different non-hormonal birth control methods, with:

• Some users experiencing difficulty inserting or removing certain devices, such as the FemCap 4
• Urinary tract infections being less common with certain types of diaphragms, such as the single-size Caya 4
• Acid-buffering gels being better tolerated than spermicidal nonoxynol-9 gels 4