Birth Control Effectiveness Comparison

Perfect use is how well a method works when it's used correctly and consistently every single time — the ideal. Typical use reflects how well it works in the real world, including the missed pills, late shots, and human slip-ups that actually happen. The two are nearly identical for methods that don't depend on you remembering anything — the implant, IUDs, and sterilization — which is why they top the list. They diverge a lot for methods that need daily or every-time effort, like the pill or condoms. For deciding what to rely on, typical-use numbers are usually the honest guide.

Because there's nothing to remember. Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) — the hormonal and copper IUDs and the implant — are placed once and then work for years without any daily or monthly action on your part. That removes the single biggest source of failure: human error. A pill is highly effective in perfect use, but in real life people forget doses, and typical-use effectiveness drops accordingly. With a LARC, typical use and perfect use are essentially the same, which is why they're the most effective reversible methods available.

Not necessarily. Effectiveness is only one factor. The right method also depends on whether it's safe for you given your health (that's what the CDC Medical Eligibility Criteria address), your preferences around hormones, bleeding, and how long you want protection, cost and access, and whether you also need STI protection. Someone who can't use estrogen, wants no hormones, or wants a method they never have to think about will weigh these very differently. Use this comparison alongside our safety check, and talk options through with a clinician.

Only condoms — external (male) and, to a lesser degree, internal (female) condoms — reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections. None of the hormonal methods, IUDs, the implant, the injection, or sterilization offer any STI protection at all. That's why many people use 'dual protection': a highly effective method to prevent pregnancy plus condoms to prevent infections. If STIs are a concern, pair your chosen method with condoms and keep up with testing.

They're the effectiveness figures published by the CDC (drawing on the long-running data compiled by Trussell and colleagues) for family-planning methods — pregnancies per 100 users in the first year of typical and perfect use. They're the same numbers used on the CDC's own effectiveness chart and in clinical counseling. Individual products can vary slightly, and your real-world result depends on how consistently a method is used, but these are the standard reference figures.

Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser — sorting and filtering happen on your own device, and nothing is sent to a server, saved, or shared. It's general educational information based on published CDC data; it isn't medical advice and can't replace a conversation with a clinician.