Birth Control Methods
Birth Control Patch
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Effectiveness:
The patch is very effective the way most people use it. Perfect use: Over 99% effective. Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Nausea, irregular bleeding, headaches, and sore breasts are the most common side effects, but they’re usually temporary.
Provides STI Protection:
The patch doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The patch contains two kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Could be as low as $0 a month (with insurance) or as high as $44 a month.
Health Benefits:
The patch protects against endometrial and ovarian cancer, iron deficiency anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the patch periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them all together.
Birth Control Pill
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Effectiveness:
The pill is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 98% to over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The pill doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The pill contains hormones.
Cost:
As low as $0 or as high as $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
Some pills protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, and iron deficiency anemia. Some pills can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the pill, periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them altogether.
Birth Control Ring
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Effectiveness:
The ring is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 97-over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The ring doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The ring contains two different kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Anywhere from $0 (with insurance) to $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
The ring protects against health problems like endometrial and ovarian cancer, anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The ring may make periods more regular, lighter, and shorter or you can choose.
Birth Control Shot
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Effectiveness:
The shot is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: Over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 96% effective
Side Effects:
Irregular bleeding, changes to appetite, and weight gain are the most common side effects.
Provides STI Protection:
The shot doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The shot contains progestin.
Cost:
Could range from $0 (with insurance) to $200 every three months.
Health Benefits:
The birth control shot may protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer and reduce symptoms of endometriosis.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The shot may make your periods shorter and lighter or it may make them stop completely.
Birth Control Patch
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The patch is very effective the way most people use it. Perfect use: Over 99% effective. Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Nausea, irregular bleeding, headaches, and sore breasts are the most common side effects, but they’re usually temporary.
Provides STI Protection:
The patch doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The patch contains two kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Could be as low as $0 a month (with insurance) or as high as $44 a month.
Health Benefits:
The patch protects against endometrial and ovarian cancer, iron deficiency anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the patch periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them all together.
Birth Control Pill
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The pill is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 98% to over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The pill doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The pill contains hormones.
Cost:
As low as $0 or as high as $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
Some pills protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, and iron deficiency anemia. Some pills can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the pill, periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them altogether.
Birth Control Ring
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The ring is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 97-over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The ring doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The ring contains two different kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Anywhere from $0 (with insurance) to $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
The ring protects against health problems like endometrial and ovarian cancer, anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The ring may make periods more regular, lighter, and shorter or you can choose.
Birth Control Shot
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The shot is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: Over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 96% effective
Side Effects:
Irregular bleeding, changes to appetite, and weight gain are the most common side effects.
Provides STI Protection:
The shot doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The shot contains progestin.
Cost:
Could range from $0 (with insurance) to $200 every three months.
Health Benefits:
The birth control shot may protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer and reduce symptoms of endometriosis.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The shot may make your periods shorter and lighter or it may make them stop completely.
Birth Control Patch
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The patch is very effective the way most people use it. Perfect use: Over 99% effective. Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Nausea, irregular bleeding, headaches, and sore breasts are the most common side effects, but they’re usually temporary.
Provides STI Protection:
The patch doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The patch contains two kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Could be as low as $0 a month (with insurance) or as high as $44 a month.
Health Benefits:
The patch protects against endometrial and ovarian cancer, iron deficiency anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the patch periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them all together.
Birth Control Pill
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The pill is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 98% to over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The pill doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The pill contains hormones.
Cost:
As low as $0 or as high as $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
Some pills protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, and iron deficiency anemia. Some pills can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the pill, periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them altogether.
Birth Control Ring
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The ring is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 97-over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The ring doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The ring contains two different kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Anywhere from $0 (with insurance) to $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
The ring protects against health problems like endometrial and ovarian cancer, anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The ring may make periods more regular, lighter, and shorter or you can choose.
Birth Control Shot
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The shot is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: Over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 96% effective
Side Effects:
Irregular bleeding, changes to appetite, and weight gain are the most common side effects.
Provides STI Protection:
The shot doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The shot contains progestin.
Cost:
Could range from $0 (with insurance) to $200 every three months.
Health Benefits:
The birth control shot may protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer and reduce symptoms of endometriosis.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The shot may make your periods shorter and lighter or it may make them stop completely.
Birth Control Patch
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The patch is very effective the way most people use it. Perfect use: Over 99% effective. Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Nausea, irregular bleeding, headaches, and sore breasts are the most common side effects, but they’re usually temporary.
Provides STI Protection:
The patch doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The patch contains two kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Could be as low as $0 a month (with insurance) or as high as $44 a month.
Health Benefits:
The patch protects against endometrial and ovarian cancer, iron deficiency anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the patch periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them all together.
Birth Control Pill
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The pill is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 98% to over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The pill doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The pill contains hormones.
Cost:
As low as $0 or as high as $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
Some pills protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, and iron deficiency anemia. Some pills can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the pill, periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them altogether.
Birth Control Ring
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The ring is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: 97-over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Most common but usually temporary side effects are irregular bleeding, headaches, sore breasts, and nausea.
Provides STI Protection:
The ring doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The ring contains two different kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Anywhere from $0 (with insurance) to $200 a month.
Health Benefits:
The ring protects against health problems like endometrial and ovarian cancer, anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The ring may make periods more regular, lighter, and shorter or you can choose.
Birth Control Shot
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The shot is very effective the way most people use it.
- Perfect use: Over 99% effective.
- Typical use: 96% effective
Side Effects:
Irregular bleeding, changes to appetite, and weight gain are the most common side effects.
Provides STI Protection:
The shot doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The shot contains progestin.
Cost:
Could range from $0 (with insurance) to $200 every three months.
Health Benefits:
The birth control shot may protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer and reduce symptoms of endometriosis.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
The shot may make your periods shorter and lighter or it may make them stop completely.
Birth Control Patch
Learn More
Effectiveness:
The patch is very effective the way most people use it. Perfect use: Over 99% effective. Typical use: 93% effective.
Side Effects:
Nausea, irregular bleeding, headaches, and sore breasts are the most common side effects, but they’re usually temporary.
Provides STI Protection:
The patch doesn’t protect against STIs.
Hormone-free:
The patch contains two kinds of hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Cost:
Could be as low as $0 a month (with insurance) or as high as $44 a month.
Health Benefits:
The patch protects against endometrial and ovarian cancer, iron deficiency anemia, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also help with acne.
Improves Periods/Bleeding:
With the patch periods may be more regular, lighter, and shorter—or you can choose to skip them all together.