Birth control: how to choose
If you don’t want to get pregnant – or don’t want your partner to get pregnant – you need to use birth control, also called contraception or family planning.
If you are thinking about having a baby soon, but you don’t want one right now, you should choose a short-term birth control method.
If you want a baby later, or not at all, you should use a long-term method.
The different methods of birth control are organised below, in order of short-term to long-term.
Short-term
Condom: Use each time you have intercourse
Diaphragm: Use each time you have intercourse
Sponge: Use each time you have intercourse
Female condom: Use each time you have intercourse
Withdrawal: Use each time you have intercourse
Spermicide: Use each time you have intercourse
Cervical cap: Use each time you have intercourse
Rhythm method: Use throughout sexually active period
Pill: Needs to be taken every day
Combined shot: 30 days
One-hormone shot:12 weeks
Breastfeeding: Up to six months
Long-term
Implant: 3 – 5 years
IUD: 5 – 12 years
Vasectomy: Permanent
Female sterilisation: Permanent
Other
Abstinence
Outercourse
Emergency contraception
How often do I need to take it?
Some methods of birth control need to be used every time you have sex, while others only need to be used once a day, once a month, or will work for a few years. A vasectomy or female sterilisation is permanent, and to be used only if you are sure you don’t want children at all. They are one-time procedures that are performed by a doctor.
Short-term
Condom: Use each time you have intercourse
Diaphragm: Use each time you have intercourse
Sponge: Use each time you have intercourse
Female condom: Use each time you have intercourse
Withdrawal: Use each time you have intercourse
Spermicide: Use each time you have intercourse
Cervical cap: Use each time you have intercourse
Rhythm method: Use throughout sexually active period
Pill: Needs to be taken every day, with or without a one-week break every three weeks
Patch: New patch once every week, with a patch-free week every three weeks
Combined shot: One injection every 30 days
One-hormone shot: One injection every 12 weeks
Breastfeeding: Every four hours during the daytime and every six hours at night for up to six months
Long-term
Implant: Inserted once, it will work for three years
IUD: Inserted once, it will work for 5 – 12 years
Vasectomy: Permanent
Female sterilisation: Permanent
Other
Abstinence
Outercourse
Emergency contraception
