Contraception

Methods of contraception

The table below gives an overview of the safety of different contraceptive methods. The Pearl Index describes the number of unwanted pregnancies if 100 women use this particular method over the course of 12 months - the "failure rate".

Example: 100 women use a certain method of contraception for one year. On average, two women become pregnant during this time. Then the Pearl Index for this contraceptive method is 2.

Young people, in particular, are more likely to be malpracticing than older people; due to a lack of experience. The more correctly you use a contraceptive, the better the protection. Each person is also an individual and can respond differently to the methods. The numbers are therefore only indicative. A medical consultation is recommended.

Many anti-epileptic drugs and some antibiotics affect the safety of hormonal contraceptives because they accelerate the breakdown of hormones in the liver. Women should use additional non-hormonal contraceptives as long as they are taking this type of medication.