INFOGRAPHIC
UNDER C NTROL With so many options on the market, choosing the right contraceptive may feel overwhelming. BY ELEANOR BISHOP AND AVERY KREEMER | ILLUSTRATIONS BY KAITLIN HENEGHAN
B
ackdrop and POWER/GAMMA partner to provide what’s what on available contraceptives and the balance of a contraceptive’s effectiveness and required maintenance. Effectiveness statistics are based on how many menstruating people would experience accidental pregnancy during the first year they use a specific contraceptive.
But, there’s a noteworthy variance in “perfect use” and “typical use”. For example, internal and external condoms have a perfect use effectiveness of about 98%, while their typical use only yields 82% effectiveness. So, no matter which contraceptive you choose, you can maximize its effectiveness by learning how to properly use it. b
60%
of American women of reproductive age are using some form of birth control.
99%
of American women between the ages of 15 and 44 who have had sex have used some form of birth control.
* Statistics provided by Planned Parenthood and Bedsider.org.
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backdrop | Spring 2020
