Choosing the right way to prevent and avoid pregnancy is a personal decision that isn't always easy. Fortunately, there are lots of options available today that can help you prevent an unexpected pregnancy. When you're deciding which one is right for you, take into consideration your personal needs, lifestyle, and physical health.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Barrier Methods

  1. 1
    Condoms. Latex condoms are worn on the penis during intercourse. They prevent pregnancy by keeping semen from coming into contact with fertile eggs. Condoms are often given out for free at health clinics, and they're available for over-the-counter purchase for about $1.00 a piece at drug stores and grocery stores.
    • An added benefit of condoms is that they protect both parties from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as well as pregnancy.
    • Condoms are made from thin latex, so they occasionally tear during intercourse. When this happens, the chances of pregnancy go up.[1]
    • Some people have allergies to latex condoms, and choose condoms made of plastic instead.
  2. 2
    Female condoms. Also made of latex, female condoms are shaped like a ring with a pouch. The pouch fits inside the vagina, while the ring stays outside the body to hold it in place. They collect semen during intercourse so it never has a chance to enter the woman's body. Female condoms cost about $4.00 a piece and are available at drugstores.
    • Female condoms reduce the risk of STDs by protecting the vagina from directly getting touched.
    • Female condoms are slightly less effective than regular condoms, and some people say that they are less comfortable to use.[2]
  3. 3
    Diaphragms. These shallow cups made of silicone are inserted inside the vagina and over the cervix to prevent semen from contacting an egg. They are commonly used in combination with spermicidal jelly, which prevents sperm from moving, in order to increase efficacy.
    • Since every woman's body is a slightly different shape, diaphragms must be fitted to make sure they're the right size. Talk to your gynecologist or health clinic worker about getting fitting for a diaphragm.
    • Diaphragms are quite effective, but they don't prevent the transmission of STDs.[3]
Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Hormonal Birth Control

  1. 1
    Birth control pills. Birth control pills, often referred to in shorthand as "the Pill," consist of synthetic estrogen and progestin hormones that keep a woman's eggs from leaving her ovaries, so that pregnancy can't happen.[4] When taken properly, they are extremely effective. Contraceptive pills are available on a prescription-only basis from your gynecologist or health care provider.[5]
  2. 2
    Other hormonal devices. The same hormones that make birth control pills effective can be distributed to the body by other means. If you don't like taking pills every day, consider these options:
  3. 3
    Intrauterine Devices (IUDs). The IUD is a small metal device inserted in the uterus by a health care provider. One type of IUD works by releasing hormones, and another type is made of copper, which affects the mobility of sperm and stops them from fertilizing the egg.[12]
    • IUDs are extremely effective and last up to 12 years, although they can cost from $500 to $1,000.
    • If you're concerned about disrupting your menstrual cycle, consider the copper IUD, which doesn't interfere with your hormones or cause hormonal birth control-related side effects.
Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Behavioral Methods

  1. 1
    Abstinence. Abstaining from vaginal intercourse prevents pregnancy by preventing the man's semen from coming into contact with the woman's egg. Abstinence is one hundred percent effective in preventing pregnancy when it is used continuously.
    • Some people define abstinence as abstaining from all sexual contact, but in order to prevent pregnancy, only vaginal intercourse needs to be avoided.
    • Abstinence requires strong willpower, and some people might find it difficult to rely on this birth control method for long periods of time.
    • It's important to have another birth control method in place once abstinence is ended.
  2. 2
    Fertility awareness. Also called natural family planning, this method of birth control requires having sex only during times of the menstrual cycle when the woman is not fertile. During times when pregnancy would be possible, periodic abstinence is employed. For fertility awareness to be effective, the practitioner must understand and respect the perimeters of her fertility.
Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Surgical Methods

  1. 1
    Female sterilization. Surgery is conducted to close off the fallopian tubes in a process called tubal ligation, preventing the possibility of pregnancy. This method is extremely effective at preventing pregnancy, but it is not to be taken lightly, since it is difficult or impossible to reverse.
  2. 2
    Vasectomy. Men may choose to undergo a process that blocks their vas deferentia, through which sperm flow, preventing them from mixing with semen.[13] When the man ejaculates, his semen does not contain sperm, making it impossible for him to get a woman pregnant. Vasectomy may be reversed in some cases, but it should not be considered unless the intention is to become permanently sterilized.
Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Preventing Pregnancy After Sex

  1. 1
    Use emergency contraception. Also called Plan B, emergency contraception consists of two pills containing levonorgestrel that are ingested as soon as possible after sexual intercourse.[14] The sooner they are taken, the more effective they are at preventing pregnancy.
    • Emergency contraception is available at most pharmacies and from your healthcare provider.
    • Emergency contraception should not be a replacement for regular birth control; it's a last resort to be take after unprotected sex.

Warnings

  1. Jennifer Butt, MD. Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist. Expert Interview. 13 March 2020.
  2. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/implanon/MY01007
  3. http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/iud-intrauterine-device
  4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/vasectomy/about/pac-20384580
  5. http://ec.princeton.edu/pills/plan-b.html
  6. Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA. OB/GYN & Fertility Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 March 2020.

About This Article

Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA
Co-authored by:
OB/GYN & Fertility Specialist
This article was co-authored by Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MA. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a Fertility Specialist and the Founder of The Egg Whisperer Show, a fertility care program focusing on fertility education based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work has been featured in magazines such as People, Forbes, and Marie Claire, and she has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and CNN. She earned an MD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2001, completed an OB/GYN residency at Harvard Medical School in 2005, and finished a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at University of Michigan, where she also completed an MPH. This article has been viewed 1,915,406 times.
5 votes - 60%
Co-authors: 25
Updated: March 6, 2022
Views: 1,915,406

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Article SummaryX

One way you can prevent an unexpected pregnancy is by using a condom when you have sex. If you're a woman, you can also talk to your gynecologist or health care provider about getting prescribed birth control pills. If you don't want to take a pill every day, you can get a birth control implant in your arm, vagina, or uterus. For a permanent way to prevent pregnancy, you can get a vasectomy if you're a man, or undergo tubal ligation if you're a woman. For more ways you can prevent pregnancy, like practicing abstinence, keep reading.

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