The Basics

What Is Contraception?

Contraception refers to the intentional prevention of pregnancy using various medical, surgical, physical, or behavioral methods. It plays a vital role in empowering individuals and couples to make informed reproductive choices, ensuring maternal health, supporting family planning, and reducing unintended pregnancies.

What Use Contraception?

Contraception helps in spacing or limiting pregnancies according to individual or couple preferences. It is not just about preventing pregnancy; certain methods also offer non-contraceptive benefits. For example, oral contraceptive pills can help manage conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, acne, and menstrual irregularities. Barrier methods such as condoms are the only methods that offer dual protection—against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For women in the postpartum period, specific methods like progestin-only pills, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and injectables can be safely used while breastfeeding.

What Are the Types of Contraception?

Contraception is broadly classified based on the reversibility of the methods used:

Temporary contraception

These methods are reversible and further classified into depending on the duration of use, user dependency, and frequency of use.

1. Short-acting methods offer protection for a short duration (per act of intercourse, daily, weekly, or monthly) and must be used frequently or regularly.

Short-acting methods	Examples
Barrier methods: Physically block sperm from reaching the egg	Male condom, female condom, diaphragm, cervical cap (not available in India), contraceptive sponge (not available in India)
Hormonal methods: Use synthetic hormones to prevent ovulation or fertilization	Combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs), progestin-only pills (POPs), contraceptive patch (weekly), vaginal ring (monthly)
Natural methods: Rely on tracking fertility signals to avoid sex during fertile days	Calendar method, cervical mucus method, basal body temperature method, withdrawal method
Emergency contraception: Pills or devices used after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy	Emergency contraceptive pills (levonorgestrel, ulipristal acetate)

1. Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) provide contraception for months to years without requiring frequent user action.

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs)	Examples
Intrauterine devices (IUDs): T-shaped devices inserted into the uterus to prevent fertilization or implantation	Copper IUD (effective up to 10 years), hormonal IUD (LNG-IUS, effective 3–5 years)
Long acting hormonal method: Includes injections and implants that contain synthetic hormones which prevents ovulation and fertilization	Implanon, DMPA

Permanent contraception

Permanent contraception includes irreversible surgical procedures to prevent reproduction:

1. Tubectomy: Surgical procedure to block, clip or seal the fallopian tube preventing the transport of egg (ovum) and thus prevents fertilization.

2. Vasectomy: Surgical procedure to block, clip or seal the vas deferens preventing sperms from entering the semen.

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Medically reviewed by

Dr Poonguzhali Liston, MBBS, MS OBG, FMAS, DRM, FRM, CIMP

Chief Medical Officer, Cranberry.Fit

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Researched by

Dr Poonguzhali Liston, MBBS, MS OBG, FMAS, DRM, FRM, CIMP

Chief Medical Officer, Cranberry.Fit

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Written by

Dr Poonguzhali Liston, MBBS, MS OBG, FMAS, DRM, FRM, CIMP

Chief Medical Officer, Cranberry.Fit

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References

1. Trussell J, Jordan B. Contraceptive Technology. 21st ed. New York: Ayer Company Publishers, 2018.

2. World Health Organization. Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use. InMedical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use 2015.

3. Selected Practice reccomendations for contraceptive use :Third edition 2016

4. Ram F, Shekhar C, Chowdhury B. Use of traditional contraceptive methods in India & its socio-demographic determinants. Indian Journal of Medical Research. 2014 Nov 1;140(Suppl 1):S17-28.