How effective is the birth control pill?
- Birth control pills are 93% effective with typical use and >99% effective with perfect use
- Several things can impact the effectiveness of the pill, including missing a pill, taking a pill late, vomiting or diarrhea, or taking certain medications
- To get the most out of your birth control, it’s important to choose a method that fits your lifestyle and that you can reliably use
There are two types of commonly prescribed oral contraceptives: the combination birth control pill and the progestin-only pill. Both types of pills are 93% effective with typical use and more than 99% effective with perfect use. In this article, we’re going to dive deeper into what typical and perfect use means as we cover what makes birth control less effective, how you can better protect yourself from unintended pregnancy, and why knowing your contraceptive options is so important.
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