General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsContraception failure rates per method
From the CDC:
Levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG IUD) Typical use failure rate: 0.2%.
Implant Typical use failure rate: 0.05%.
Injection or "shot" Typical use failure rate: 6%.
Combined oral contraceptives Typical use failure rate: 9%.
Patch Typical use failure rate: 9%.
Diaphragm or cervical cap Typical use failure rate: 12%.
Male condom Typical use failure rate: 18%.
Female condom Typical use failure rate: 21%, and also may help prevent STDs.
Spermicides Typical use failure rate: 28%.
http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/unintendedpregnancy/contraception.htm
The ones I have put in bold are among the most popular and result in 6-12 pregnancies per 100 women per year per method. (Condoms used alone result in 18 pregnancies per 100 women per year).
The problem with unwanted pregnancies isn't the lack of contraceptive use. If most sexually active women were not using one or more form of birth control, the birth and abortion rates would much, much higher. Instead, the abortion rate has held steady for years.
REP
(21,691 posts)that there'd be fewer abortions. Well, most women are using some form of contraception - unfortunately, they're not 100% effective, and some of the most popular ones used properly can still result in a pregnancy. Even surgical sterilization does not have a 100% effectiveness rate (the failure rate is less than 1%, but that failure rate is actual women receiving some very bad news).
idwiyo
(5,113 posts)You know, to make abortions even more "rare". And if THAT fails, carry to term and give it for adoption, because every foetus is sacred. And it will make forced-birthers happy. Or something like it.
REP
(21,691 posts)Some studies on the long-term psychological sequelae to adoption:
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 1999 Jul-Aug;28(4):395-400.
Related Articles, Links
Postadoptive reactions of the relinquishing mother: a review.
Askren HA, Bloom KC.
Deer Valley OB/GYN, Mesa, AZ, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To review the literature addressing the process of relinquishment as it relates to the birth mother. DATA SOURCES: Computerized searches in CINAHL; Article 1 st, PsycFIRST, and SocioAbs databases, using the keywords adoption and relinquishment; and ancestral bibliographies. STUDY SELECTION: Articles from indexed journals in the English language relevant to the keywords were evaluated. No studies were located before 1978. Studies that sampled only an adolescent population were excluded. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted and information was organized under the following headings: grief reaction, long-term effects, efforts to resolve, and influences on the relinquishment experience. DATA SYNTHESIS: A grief reaction unique to the relinquishing mother was identified. Although this reaction consists of features characteristic of the normal grief reaction, these features persist and often lead to chronic, unresolved grief. CONCLUSIONS: The relinquishing mother is at risk for long-term physical, psychologic, and social repercussions. Although interventions have been proposed, little is known about their effectiveness in preventing or alleviating these repercussions.
Med J Aust. 1986 Feb 3;144(3):117-9.
Related Articles, Links
Psychological disability in women who relinquish a baby for adoption.
Condon JT.
During 1986, approximately 2000 women in Australia are likely to relinquish a baby for adoption. A study is presented of 20 relinquishing mothers that demonstrates a very high incidence of pathological grief reactions which have failed to resolve although many years have elapsed since the relinquishment. This group had abnormally high scores for depression and psychosomatic symptoms on the Middlesex Hospital questionnaire. Factors that militate against the resolution of grief after relinquishment are discussed. Guidelines for the medical profession that are aimed at preventing psychological disability in relinquishing mothers are outlined.
Community Health Stud. 1990;14(2):180-9.
Related Articles, Links
Erratum in:
Community Health Stud 1990;14(3):314.
Social factors associated with the decision to relinquish a baby for adoption.
Najman JM, Morrison J, Keeping JD, Andersen MJ, Williams GM.
Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Queensland.
Little is known about the characteristics, social circumstances and mental health of women who give a child up for adoption. This paper reports data from a longitudinal study of 8556 women interviewed initially at their first obstetrical visit. In total, 7668 proceeded to give birth to a live singleton baby, of which 64 then relinquished the baby for adoption. Relinquishing mothers were predominantly 18 years of age or younger, in the lowest family income group, single, having an unplanned and/or unwanted baby and reported that they were not living with a partner. These women were somewhat more likely to manifest symptoms of anxiety and depression both prior, and subsequent to, the adoption, but the majority of relinquishing mothers were of 'normal' mental health. The decision to relinquish a baby appears to be a consequence of an unwanted pregnancy experienced by an economically deprived single mother rather than the result of emotional or psychological/psychiatric considerations. These findings document a particular dimension of the impact of poverty on health.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Response to kestrel91316 (Reply #2)
REP This message was self-deleted by its author.
REP
(21,691 posts)Is your name Legion and are you 100 women?
idwiyo
(5,113 posts)REP
(21,691 posts)I wanted to use, "Not ever, honey, I'm blind from unending migraines" as my BC method ...
laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)'typical use'
Lots of women forget to take a pill here and there quite often and they don't follow the package instructions to use another method of birth control until the next pack. Also, I cannot tell you how many times I went on a powerful antibiotic that was known to affect the effectiveness of the pill and the doctor AND pharmacist neglected to tell me - luckily I knew but omg, why are they not telling people? (I had a friend become pregnant this way). I actually had one doctor deny it even though it was right there on the package insert.
OwnedByCats
(805 posts)I went on the pill. About 6 months later I was put on antibiotics for strep throat. Nobody warned me and suggested I use something else in the meantime, and being only 17, coupled with not having been on the pill long, I didn't know any better. Then I found out a month later that they confused me with another patient with the same name as mine who was not on the pill, hence why I had not been told. Thankfully nothing happened, but I now research medication incompatibilities myself, just in case!
NoOneMan
(4,795 posts)In any case, condoms should not be disregarded due to failure rates due to protection against disease as well. Different subject for a different time.
idwiyo
(5,113 posts)Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)If you consistently use them correctly, most of these methods will be significantly more reliable than these numbers suggest, I believe.
idwiyo
(5,113 posts)REP
(21,691 posts)As one poster mentioned above, antibiotics that lessen the effectiveness of oral BC are often dispensed without the patient being advised to use a back-up method during therapy - this isn't really "user error" unless the user is a pharmacist. Cervical caps, sponges, etc have different effective rates in women who given birth and women who haven't due to the changes in the cervix - this is more of a product design error (they should come in two sizes at least). The Depo shot stays in the system for 10 months after the last one (it takes that before normal endometrial function resumes), so being a day or week late with a shot really won't cause a disruption in the protection.
But aside from that, as the saying goes, "there was one perfect person and he died 2,000 years ago ..."
surrealAmerican
(11,361 posts)... given their impressively low failure rate.
REP
(21,691 posts)Let's hope the ACA removes the "access" barrier for women who want it and can tolerate it.
Glassunion
(10,201 posts)she is allergic to the metals in the one brand, and the hormones in the other caused tumors. They are not for everyone, especially the brands with hormones if you have a family history of certain cancers. That is also why she does not use the pill.
Small Accumulates
(149 posts)Even though over time implants are very cost effective. But it can be tough to gather the funds for that investment.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)side effects. She is not feeling well and is having some cramping, but she has a bad memory and has had a few times where she has forgotten to take the pill. So, she is hoping she won't have to worry as much about forgetting and getting pregnant.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)And if you're one of the unlucky ones getting back to normal takes a long time.
valerief
(53,235 posts)REP
(21,691 posts)I don't consider that to be contraception. As the old joke goes, "What do you call people who practice the Rhythm Method?" "Parents."
valerief
(53,235 posts)dsc
(52,162 posts)and better than spermicide. That is quite surprising to be honest.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)includes all sorts of ways of doing it wrong. Not stopping for tears and "I'll put it on before I finish" being the most common.
dsc
(52,162 posts)though I do think the 18% is likely an over estimate. I had always read more like 10%. But I am still quite surprised at how effective the rythum method is. I would have guessed a failure rate much closer to 50%.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)But it's very, very hard to do properly.
gollygee
(22,336 posts)A contraceptive practice where I can have sex any time except when my body especially wants to have sex.
I'll pass.
REP
(21,691 posts)pnwmom
(108,980 posts)by combining them -- for example, a diaphragm and a condom, or a condom and a spermicide.
B2G
(9,766 posts)They are very effective is used correctly.
For the pill, it's typically because they are skipped or not taken at the same team each day. For the shot, it results from not getting them 3 months to the day.
REP
(21,691 posts)giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)I was on depo for two years between my sons with zero side effects, when I came off I got pregnant within 2 mths. I have my tubes tied now & have for about 8 years & nothing is getting past that.
GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)Soft vascetomy - Done in a manner to be reversible, can sometimes reverse itself. Failure rate, about 1%.
Hard vascetomy - Done in a manner to be absolutely, positively, permenant. Failure rate. ZERO.
REP
(21,691 posts)I myself had a tubal fulguration (my Fallopian tubes were burnt out, a procedure much more extreme than a ligation). This procedure still has a failure rate (.15%).
Zorra
(27,670 posts)(on edit) after implants.
REP
(21,691 posts)The failure rate for tubal fulguration is comparable to that of surgical vasectomy, and the woman gets to take it from partner to partner (if she so desires).
Zorra
(27,670 posts)And a real drawback of vasectomy is that it involves a good degree of trust.
REP
(21,691 posts)GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)A vasectomy leaves a scar on each side of the scrotum, a little bit towards the rear, about an inch long. She can search for the scar during foreplay. She doesn't even have to tell him what she is doing.
cynatnite
(31,011 posts)He still warned me about the failure rate and that they could still grow back together. That was 15 years ago. Not sure if I should uncross my fingers yet.
REP
(21,691 posts)She didn't feel at all confident about banding and burning me - mine are completely burnt off, just to be sure! Then I had an ablation. So I think I'm really at 100% babyproof
GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)Fortunately my girl friend missed her period due to stress. I was really surprised when my doctor said I had a sperm count of 30%. He did a new vasectomy at no charge. This time he cut out an inch of tube, folded the ends back over themselves, and sutured them.
GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)One method does have a .15% failure rate. The other method has ZERO failure rate. Didn't you notice that in my post.
gollygee
(22,336 posts)And that's the route I've taken at this point.
However, it isn't 100%, and more importantly (since this thread is about abortion) most abortions are by women who are young enough that they might not want to cut off the possibility of having a baby ever. It's often an issue of not wanting a baby at that moment or in that relationship than just not wanting a baby ever.
REP
(21,691 posts)Yeah, anecdote is not the plural of data, but I'm one of them. I also know quite a few women like me who were denied sterilizations for various paternalistic reasons and had at least one abortion (and most of us finally got sterilized, yay, and remain childfree).
cynatnite
(31,011 posts)It's still difficult as you said. I knew plenty of doctors who were hesitant for young women who never had children. My daughter was young when she got hers, but she had her 3 kids back to back and was tired.
REP
(21,691 posts)The CREST study shows low levels of "regret" in young nullaparas who received sterilizations. I'm one who showed high levels of "YIPPEE!!!!"
GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)Sterilizing a young woman with no children has the potential of a future lawsuit, no matter what kind of forms the doctor may have her sign.
If I were a doctor, I would refuse to do it to. I would know the name of a doctor who would be willing to take that risk and would make the recommendation that she see him.
Sorry, but the U.S. is a sue-happy country.
REP
(21,691 posts)Also, women aren't stupid ... well, most of them; I was in an informed consent class where one woman did not know that surgical sterilization is permanent and not considered reversible; however, due the informed consent process, she learned that and did not have the procedure. The other women - a number of whom were young nullaparas - could have given the damn class. Sterilization is something that the vast majority of women who seek it out do so because they know EXACTLY what it is.
At least one study has found extremely low levels of "regret" associated with female sterilizations, even amount very young women with no children.
GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)So you have 999 women who have no regrets and one who has regrets and blames the doctor, finds a greedy unethical lawyer (Example: John Edwards) and the doctor has an expensive lawsuit on his hands.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)to use it, or using it incorrectly. And unwanted pregnancy rates are the lowest they have been in decades because of birth control use, so the statement that abortion should be rare because birth control should make it rare does stand up.
REP
(21,691 posts)It would increase each and every year.
Those judgeypants don't look good on you anyway.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)wasting my time by being juvenile you can just go on my ignore list.
REP
(21,691 posts)PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts)Thanks, btw. I honestly was not expecting DU to be *this* far behind on this topic.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts)right over your head.
REP
(21,691 posts)REP
(21,691 posts)Look at this sub thread. "You won't change my mind with facts and I'm going to ignore you!!"
PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts)that's her/his other favorite.
REP
(21,691 posts)Reproductive issues set her OFF, due to some issues in her past.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)The rate corrects for population growth.
REP
(21,691 posts)For example, the rate for a number of years was 16 per 1000 women; it has gone down to 15.1 per 1000 women. The reduced access to abortion services may be a partial explanation for the decline, but the abandonment of "abstinence only" sex ed as well as the availability of OTC emergency contraception may be another part of the picture.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)cynatnite
(31,011 posts)The doctors usually recommended that if a woman opted for the less reliable, to also use a secondary precaution. They usually told the patients what the failure rates were for things like spermicides and all that.
That's not to say all doctors did, but the ones I worked with made a point of it.
REP
(21,691 posts)And get the best, most effective BC she can use!
FreeState
(10,572 posts)The 12% figure is a bit misleading because 10% of that is inconsistent use or ineffective use. If condoms are used correctly 100% of the time the failure rate is 2%.
REP
(21,691 posts)These numbers come from the CDC. They don't have an agenda; that's why I used them as a source.
As Terry Allen said, "There's the radio ... And then there's Real Life."
FreeState
(10,572 posts)But the same cannot be said of the other methods.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)are not the demographics of people most likely to get pregnant accidentally.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)jeff47
(26,549 posts)which includes things like women forgetting to take the pill, or women who think they only need to take a pill on days when they are going to have sex or doctors not thinking about how other prescriptions affect birth control pills.
Taken as directed, the failure rate is way less than 1%.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)That's the "two or more" redundancy that is needed.
Niceguy1
(2,467 posts)and it would give men more control over the baby making decisions too