Contraception Choices
The available methods of preventing pregnancy and how they compare in practice.
Last revised
Key takeaways
- Most effective methods: implant, IUD and IUS
- Long-acting methods: do not depend on remembering anything
- Most useful single change: Ask specifically about long-acting reversible methods.
- Commonest mistake: Assuming typical use matches perfect use.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Why it matters
The difference between perfect use and typical use is large for the methods most people choose, and small for the ones they are rarely offered.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Most effective methods | implant, IUD and IUS |
| Long-acting methods | do not depend on remembering anything |
| Emergency contraception | more effective the sooner it is taken |
| Copper IUD as emergency contraception | the most effective option, up to 5 days |
What helps
- Ask specifically about long-acting reversible methods
- Get emergency contraception as early as possible; pharmacies supply it
- Review your method when circumstances or medications change
- Use condoms alongside for STI protection
What to avoid
- Assuming typical use matches perfect use
- Combined hormonal methods with migraine with aura, or smoking over 35, without discussion
- Stopping contraception before menopause is confirmed
Where to go next
- Contraception Choices: Common Myths and What Guidelines Say
- Contraception Choices: A Beginner-Friendly Start
- What the Guidance Really Says About HIV
- What the Guidance Really Says About Cervical Screening and HPV
When to get help
Seek urgent medical help for calf pain or swelling, chest pain, severe breathlessness, sudden severe headache, weakness on one side or vision loss while using combined hormonal contraception. Tell your prescriber about migraine with aura, smoking over 35, high blood pressure or a history of blood clots.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.