Considering birth control? Find out which one is right for you
Posted March 19, 2026
If you’re sexually active, but not yet ready to start a family, birth control is a safe and effective option to protect against unplanned pregnancies. But with dozens of options available today — from condoms to birth control pills to IUD implants and even surgery — how do you know which method is best for you?
Contraceptives can vary widely in terms of reliability, ease of use, health risks, permanence and more. So, the best birth control for you depends on your needs and preferences — and, of course, the method that you’ll use consistently and correctly.
In fact, research shows contraceptives that require little effort on the user’s part are associated with lower pregnancy rates, whereas options that require monitoring and high maintenance come with higher pregnancy rates.
Summa Health sheds light on common contraceptives, their efficacy and associated benefits and risks. While the most effective option to avoid an unplanned pregnancy is to practice abstinence, when that’s not an option, birth control can safely offer you the best protection — and even more when you double up! For example, using a condom and taking birth control pills.
Barrier contraceptives
Barrier contraceptives are devices or medicines designed to prevent sperm from reaching an egg. They should be used each time you have intercourse.
Barrier birth control methods include:
- Male or female condom: Thin covering worn on the penis, or placed inside the vagina
- Diaphragm: Reusable cup placed inside the vagina
- Cervical cap or shield: A cup that fits snugly over the cervix
- Spermicide: A gel to kill or immobilize sperm that can be used alone or with a condom, diaphragm or cervical cap
Benefits of barrier contraceptive
Barrier methods are non-hormonal and, therefore, offer very little risk and side effects, except for a small risk of allergic reaction to latex in condoms. They don’t require a prescription, and most are available at drug stores. However, diaphragms and cervical caps may need to be fitted in a doctor’s office.
In addition, male and female condoms are the only birth control methods that also protect against STIs (sexually transmitted infections), such as HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia and herpes.
Risks of barrier contraceptive
Unfortunately, barrier methods offer the least effectiveness compared to other contraceptives. Barrier methods range in effectiveness between 85% to 98% — but only when they are used consistently and correctly during intercourse.
Hormonal contraceptives
Hormonal contraceptives are medicines that alter levels of estrogen, progesterone or both in a woman’s body to either prevent ovulation, thin the uterine lining to inhibit a fertilized egg from embedding or thicken cervical mucus so sperm can’t easily pass through to reach an egg.
Hormonal birth control options include:
- Birth control pills: Medication taken orally every day
- Patches: Medicated patch worn on the skin and replaced once a week
- Injections: Medicated shot given by a doctor every three months
- Vaginal rings: Medicated ring inserted in the vagina and replaced every month
- Implants, such as IUDs (intrauterine devices): Small, T-shaped piece of plastic with copper or a hormone placed inside the uterus by a doctor
Benefits of hormonal contraceptives
Hormonal birth control methods are very effective, ranging in effectiveness from 91 to 99%. In general, they are low maintenance and easy to use, and long-term options, such as implants, can last between three to 10 years. Implants can be removed by a doctor if you decide to get pregnant.
In addition, some options can even lighten menstrual bleeding and cramping, and help clear acne. What’s more, hormonal options reduce the risk of ovarian, uterine and colon cancers, and pelvic inflammatory disease in women.
Risks of hormonal contraceptives
Unfortunately, hormonal methods come with side effects and risks, depending on the type used. Increased levels of estrogen can raise your risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots and high blood pressure. The overall risk of stroke or any blood clot event is very low in the young female population, but any estrogen containing medication does increase that risk. However, the overall risk of stroke on birth control pills is still far lower than the risk of a stroke in pregnancy or the postpartum period so the benefit usually outweighs the risk.
If taking hormonal contraceptives, you might experience:
- Mood changes
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Breast tenderness
- Weight gain
- Heavier, more painful menstrual bleeding (non-hormonal IUDs)
- Vaginal irritation (vaginal ring)
All of these methods require a prescription from your doctor. For short-term options, such as pills, patches and vaginal rings, you have to remember to use them on a daily, weekly or monthly basis for consistent protection.
Procedural contraceptives
Procedural contraceptives are permanent forms of birth control for adults who are completely sure they don’t ever want to get pregnant. It involves surgery to alter the reproductive system in men and women to permanently prevent pregnancy, known as sterilization.
Procedural birth control options include:
- Vasectomy (for men): Surgery to block sperm from leaving the testes and being released into the ejaculate
- Tubal ligation (for women): Surgery that cuts, ties or clamps a portion of the fallopian tubes to prevent them from carrying an egg from the ovaries to the uterus
Benefits of procedural contraceptives
Procedural birth control methods are more than 99% effective and the longest-lasting option available. After surgery, you never have to use birth control again. However, a semen analysis is necessary within the first year of a vasectomy to ensure there are no motile sperm in the ejaculate.
Risks of procedural contraceptives
As with any surgery, procedural methods come with risks and side effects. Recovery can take several days, and you may experience pain, bleeding or other complications from surgery, such as an increased risk of infection. Although it’s not common, there is a risk of an ectopic pregnancy that occurs within a fallopian tube after a tubal ligation.
In general, these options are irreversible.
So, which contraceptive is right for you?
There isn’t one method of birth control that’s right for everyone. When considering what’s right for you, start by asking yourself the following questions:
- Do I desire to have children in the future?
- How often do I have sexual intercourse and how many sexual partners do I have?
- Do I need protection from STIs?
- How often do I get a period? Are they heavy and painful?
- Do I have other medical conditions that could make some methods less safe?
Then, talk to your doctor about your needs and preferences, along with the risks and benefits of each type. Together, you can narrow down the choices and find the best protection for you.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Summa Health’s Women’s Health Services at 877.938.1869.
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