Department of Health and Human Services

Food and Drug Administration

5600 Fishers Lane (HFI-40)

Rockville, MD 20857

 March 2000

(FDA)00-1298
The Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) is part of the

United States Government.

It is FDA’s job to make sure

drugs and other medical

treatments work

and are safe.

Many Products

Can Help Prevent

Pregnancy

If you and your partner

don’t want to have a baby

at this time, there are many

different products that can

help prevent pregnancy.

The types of birth control

that are most reliable for

preventing pregnancy

are birth control pills,

injections, implants, IUDs,

and sterilization. Of every

100 women who use one of

these types of birth control

for a year, about 1 to 5

women will become

pregnant.

Latex condoms for men

and diaphragms with

spermicide are less

effective. Of every 100

women who rely on them

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for a year, about 14 to 20

will become pregnant.

Other methods of birth

control, such as spermicide

alone, female condoms, and

natural family planning,

don’t work as well.
Birth Control You

Can Get Without a

Prescription

Some types of birth control

are available without a

doctor’s prescription. They

have no side effects for most

people. But some people may

be allergic to them and get

rashes if they use them.

Condoms for Men

People sometimes call

condoms for men rubbers,

safes, or prophylactics. You

can buy condoms without a

prescription at drugstores,

supermarkets, and many

other places.

To use, put the condom on

the erect penis before

having sex. Use each

condom only once. Most

condoms are made from

latex rubber. Others are

made from lamb intestines

and are often called

lambskins. Some condoms

are made from polyurethane.

If you aren’t allergic to latex,

Female Condom

The Reality Female Condom is made of polyurethane. You can buy female

condoms at drugstores

without a prescription. To

use, insert the condom into

the vagina right before sex

and use each only once.

Don’t use it at the same

time as a male condom. If

you have a choice, it’s better

for the man to use a latex

you should use latex

condoms because they are

best at preventing pregnancy

and they also protect best

against AIDS, herpes, and

other sexually transmitted

diseases (STDs). Condoms

shouldn’t be used with

Vaseline or other brands of

petroleum jelly, lotions, or

oils. But they can be used

with lubricants that don’t

have oil, such as K-Y jelly.

condom because it’s better

than the female condom at

preventing pregnancy and

protecting you against STDs.

Spermicide Alone

Spermicides are available

without a prescription in

drugstores and some other

stores. They contain a

chemical that kills sperm.

Spermicides are sold in

several forms including

foam, cream and jelly.

To use, put the spermicide

into the vagina at least 10

minutes before having sex.

One dose of spermicide

usually works for one hour,

but you must use another

dose every time you have

intercourse even if less than

an hour has passed. You

should not douche or rinse

your vagina for at least 6 to 8

hours after having sex.

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Birth Control You

Need to See Your

Doctor For

The risks and benefits of

different forms of birth

control are different for each

person. So it’s best to decide

with your doctor which form

of birth control is best for you.

Diaphragm

The diaphragm with

spermicide is put into the

vagina before sex so that it

covers the cervix, or neck of

the womb. Put the

spermicide into the dome of

the diaphragm before

inserting it. You must be

fitted for a diaphragm at a

doctor’s office or clinic

because diaphragms come in

several different sizes. The

diaphragm must stay in

place at least 6 hours after

intercourse, but not for more

than 24 hours. If you have

sex more than once while

Cervical Cap

The cervical cap is a soft

rubber cup with a round rim

that is put into the vagina to

fit over the cervix, or neck of

the womb. The cap is smaller

than the diaphragm, but

sometimes more difficult to

insert. You must go to your

doctor or clinic to be fitted for

the cervical cap. It comes in

several different sizes. The

cervical cap must be used

with spermicide, which is

wearing the diaphragm, you

must add more spermicide

without taking the

diaphragm out. Spermicide

is available without a

prescription at drugstores.

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available in drugstores

without a prescription. You

can leave it in place for 48

hours.
Depo-Provera

Depo-Provera is a form of

progestin, similar to the

hormone in the minipill.

Depo-Provera must be

injected with a needle into

the woman’s buttocks or arm

muscle by a doctor. You must

get an injection every three

months for the birth control

to continue to work.

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Norplant

Norplant is a form of

progestin that is placed

under the skin. Norplant is

made of rubber rods that

look like matchsticks. A

doctor places the rods under

the skin of the woman’s

upper arm, where they

slowly release progestin. A

doctor must also remove the

rods. There are two types of

Norplant. The six-rod

Norplant gives birth control

for up to five years. The tworod Norplant gives birth

control for up to two years.

Birth Control Pills

You need a doctor’s

prescription to get birth

control pills, also called oral

contraceptives. There are two

types of birth control pills:

“combined oral

contraceptives” and

“minipills.”

Combined oral

contraceptives have a

combination of two

hormones—estrogen and

progestin. They work by

keeping the ovaries from

releasing an egg. The pill

must be taken every day.

Minipills contain only one

hormone, progestin. They

work by thickening the

cervical mucus to keep sperm

from reaching the egg.

Sometimes they also keep the

ovaries from releasing an egg.

You must take one pill every

day. Minipills are slightly less

effective than combined oral

contraceptives.
Female Sterilization

Female sterilization is

usually a longer operation

than a vasectomy, though it

may sometimes be done as

outpatient surgery. It is

usually done under general

anesthesia. The surgery

involves tying, cutting or

blocking the fallopian tubes

so eggs can’t reach the

womb. Women who have this

surgery must be sure they

will never want to have a

baby in the future.

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Male Sterilization

(Vasectomy)

Outpatient surgery is

necessary to make a man

sterile, or unable to produce

enough sperm to make a

woman pregnant. This is

done by sealing, tying or

cutting the tube through

which sperm travel to the

penis from the testicles.

The operation usually takes

less than 30 minutes and is

done under local anesthesia.

Men who have vasectomies

must be sure they will

never want to father children in the future.

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IUDs

An IUD (Intra-Uterine

Device) is inserted into the

womb by a doctor. Two types

of IUDs are now used in the

United States: the Paragard

Copper T 380A, which

releases copper, and the

Progestasert Progesterone T,

which releases progesterone,

a form of progestin. The

Paragard IUD can stay in

place for 10 years. The

Progestasert must be

replaced every year. A doctor

must remove it.
Preventing Sexually Transmitted Diseases

The only kind of birth control that is also highly effective

in preventing AIDS and other sexually transmitted

diseases is the latex condom worn by the man. The female

condom can also give some protection, but it’s not as good

as the latex condom for men. If you use other forms of birth

control but also want protection against AIDS and other

sexually transmitted diseases, the man should also use a

latex condom.

Natural Family

Planning

This is also known as

fertility awareness or

periodic abstinence. For this

method to work, a man and

woman cannot have sex on

the days the woman can

become pregnant unless

using another form of birth

control. These days usually

include from seven days

before the woman ovulates

(releases an egg) to three

days after she ovulates. A

woman can ask her doctor

how to tell when she

ovulates. This is done by

taking into account when

the last menstrual period

began, changes in body

temperature, and changes

in vaginal mucus.

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Do You Have Other

Questions About

Birth Control?

FDA may have an office

near you. Look for their

number in the blue pages

of the phone book.

You can also contact FDA

through its toll-free number,

1-888-INFO-FDA

(1-888-463-6332).

Or, on the

World Wide Web at

www.fda.gov.

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