|
Contraception
|
|
Methods of Contraception: Success and Failure of Contraception
|
|
No contraceptive method is suitable for everyone at all times. Choosing the right method is therefore essential. Some methods are theoretically more effective than others, but in practice this often depends on their proper use. For example: A condom which, in theory, is less effective than "the pill", can be more effective if the man uses it properly and consistently, and the pill is less effective if the woman repeatedly forgets to take it. In short, when deciding on a contraceptive method, one has to take not only its theoretical effectiveness into account, but also the personal circumstances, preferences and habits of its users.
Even so, there are some general guidelines about the success or failure of contraceptive methods. They have been summarized as the so-called Pearl index, named after the American biologist and statistician Raymond Pearl, who developed it in the 1930s. |
