Types of contraception

It may seem like there are hundreds of brands and types of contraception to get your head around. However, we can group the different types of contraceptives to make it easier to see your options.

Different types of contraceptives

We can group contraceptives in several ways, with types often being included in more than one group like a huge contraceptive Venn diagram. The different ways to classify contraception include:

1. Hormonal v non-hormonal contraceptives
2. Combined v progestogen-only hormonal contraceptives
3. Short-acting, long-acting or permanent contraception

Hormonal v non-hormonal contraceptives

There are huge benefits of hormonal contraceptives like stopping or regulating periods but also for managing the symptoms of reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS and adenomyosis. However, some people can really struggle with side effects from hormones or prefer to avoid them.

1. Hormonal contraception

• Oral contraceptive pills. There are 2 main types of contraceptive pills – the combined pill or the progestogen only pill.
• Contraceptive patch. The patch is a combined form of hormonal contraception that you wear on the skin.
• Contraceptive vaginal ring. This form of contraception contains both oestrogen and progestogen and is inserted into the vagina.
• Injection
• Implant
• Hormonal coil

2. Non-hormonal contraception

• Barrier methods of contraception such as the male or female condom
• The copper coil, also known as the IUD (intrauterine device).
• Natural methods of contraception, also known as fertility awareness methods
• Permanent methods of contraception – sterilisation and vasectomy

Combined v progestogen-only hormonal contraceptives

Combined hormonal contraceptives contain both oestrogen and progestogen hormones. Progestogen-only contraceptives only contain, as it says in the name, progestogen. Some users may not be able to safely use oestrogen due to their medical history, so progestogen-only options offer a good alternative.

1. Combined contraceptives include the combined pill, vaginal ring or patch
2. Progestogen-only contraceptives include the progestogen-only pill, implant, injection and hormonal coil

Type of contraceptive pills

Not only are there 2 types of contraceptive pills: the combined pill and the progestogen-only pill. But there are also many brands and varying levels of hormones within each type.

There are over 40 different brands of pill, with over 30 different brands of combined pill and 10 different brands of progestogen-only pill……it can be confusing, which is why The Lowdown exists.

Short-acting, long-acting or permanent contraceptives

Contraceptives can also be grouped depending on how long they last for. Short-acting contraceptives are used regularly and stop working quickly when you decide to stop using them. They are useful as you can start or stop your birth control easily, but can require more effort to remember to use them correctly.

Long-acting reversible contraceptives can last between 3 months to 10 years depending on the method and brand. We like the phrase “fit and forget”, meaning that after you have the birth control method injected or inserted you don’t have to do anything and are protected from pregnancy until it runs out. 

Permanent contraception is for those people who are sure they don’t want any or any more children as they are not easily reversible and are designed to make you permanently infertile. This is known as sterilisation.

1. Short-acting contraceptives include:

• Contraceptive pills
• The patch
• The vaginal ring

2. Long-acting reversible contraceptives include:

• The injection
• The implant
• The hormonal coil
• The copper coil or IUD

3. Permanent contraceptives include:

• Sterilisation
• Vasectomy

Barrier methods of contraception

Barrier methods work by stopping sperm meeting an egg to prevent pregnancy. The most popular is the male condom, but there are others!

Barrier methods of contraception include:

• Male condoms
• Female condoms
• Caps or diaphragms

Which methods of contraception protect against STIs?

The ONLY method of contraception that can protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a condom. This can be a male or female condom. It’s advised to use condoms alongside another form of contraception with a new partner, or until you have both had up to date sexual health checks for sexually transmitted infections.

Which contraception is best for me?

We get it, it’s complicated. The best contraception is the one which you will take correctly and consistently. This means it has to be safe for you, be a method that you are willing to use and which has side effects that you can manage, or preferably none at all. Usually, this is discussed with your healthcare professional. 

We have developed tools to guide you through how to choose your contraception, which include the latest research evidence. Our contraception recommender will help you decide “which contraception is best for me” and our comparison tool will help you decide between different types of contraception.

As always, we have lots more in depth information to support your decisions in our health hub, so please spend some time reading our medically reviewed and up to date articles.