Contraceptive Failure Rate Chart

Contraceptive Method

Failure Rate in Preventing Pregnancies
(pregnancies per 100 users per year)

Protection Against STDs

Depo Provera Injection

3% with typical use1

None

Patch (Ortho Evra)

8%2

None

Vaginal Ring (Nuva Ring)

8%2

None

Tubal Ligation

0.5%2

None

Mini-pills (progestin-only pills)

8% with typical use1

None

IUD (dependent upon type of IUD)

1.8%2

None

Birth Control Pills

8% with typical use1

None

Condom: Male

15% with typical use1

85% protection against HIV/AIDs, some protection from other STDs3

Condom: Female

21% with typical use1

Some protection

Cervical Cap
(Women who have not delivered vaginally)

16% with typical use in women who have not delivered vaginally1

None

Reality Sponge (women with no children

16%2

None

Reality Sponge (women with children)

32%2

None

Diaphram

16% with typical use1

None

Spermicide only

29%2

None

Cervical Cap
(Women who have delivered vaginally)

32% with typical use in women who have delivered vaginally1

None

1Consumer Reports, Condoms and Contraception, February 2005.

2Trussel J. Contraceptive Efficacy. In Hatcher RA, Trussell J, Stewart F, Nelson A, Cates W, Guest F, Kowal D. Contraceptive Technology: 18th Revised Edition. New York NY: Ardent Media, 2004.

3Hitchcock P. Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention: Workshop Summary. Hernfon (VA): DIANE Publishing, 2001. (From a workshop help by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, June 12-13, 2001.)

 

Printed with permission from the Concerned Parents Report.