Effective birth control

[justjoan]

Can anyone suggest effective over the counter birth control? I see my boyfriend one or twice a week. Don't like condoms and don't want to go back on the pill. Thanks

[sera300]

Vaginal contraceptive films are good BUT realize the failure rates associated with them are high. I have only used these "less reliable" methods when I was married and it was okay if they failed I got pregnant.

Have you considered going to your Gyn and getting fit for a diaphragm, cervical cap, or having an IUD placed?

Condoms should be used, although you may not like them, due to potential for STD's.

[Brandye]

When you specify "over the counter" you have really limited yourself to common barrier and chemical methods. The barrier available over the counter are condoms and female condoms. In eithr case, of 100 women using the method for a year, about fifteen will become pregnant.

The chemical methods all use one of three spermicides (or a combination). These include vaginal jelly, film, foam suppositories and tablets. These all have roughly the same failure rates as condoms.

The sponge, diaphragms and cervical caps are all about as effective (a little better) than spermicides alone. The sponge is over the counter and falls into this same category of combining a barrier with chemical approaches.

Condoms with spermicide are quite good reducing the failure rate to about the same as the pill.

I assume you were on the pill from your original post. I do not know why you stopped but many women solve "pill problems" with the ring. It is hormonal and requires a prescription. It puts much less hormone into your sytem and is well tolerated by most women who do not tolerate the pill.

The Planned Parenthood site (as well as many university health sites) has a good discussion of all known contraceptives.