If you’re nervous about the side effects of hormonal birth control — or you know your parents would completely flip if you even mentioned going on the pill — you may be considering non-hormonal methods of birth control instead.

When we say “non-hormonal birth control,” we mean the usual suspects you can find at the drugstore (like male condoms, female condoms, the sponge, and spermicides) but also birth control methods that you still need to see a gyno to get (like a diaphragm, cervical cap, or non-hormonal IUD) and DIY tactics (like tracking your period or “pulling out”).

Want to know if any of those non-hormonal birth control might be the best option for you? Here’s what you need to know.

1. Get to know your options.

First things first, here’s a super-quick rundown of what’s out there.

· Male condoms. These cover the penis to keep sperm from entering the vagina.

· Female condoms. Kind of like male condoms — but instead of covering his penis, they go inside your vag.

· Spermicides. These are gels, foams, or creams that stop sperm from moving.

· Diaphragm. This is a shallow, silicone cup that goes over your cervix. It needs to be combined with spermicide to be effective.

· Sponge. This is a squishy sponge that covers your cervix. Like the diaphragm, it needs to be used with spermicide.

· Cervical cap. These are silicone caps that cover your cervix — similar to a diaphragm, but smaller and shaped a little differently. And, again, they need to be used with spermicide.

· IUD. This is a tiny, copper device that’s inserted into your uterus. (There are hormonal IUDs available, too.)

· Fertility awareness. Sometimes called “the rhythm method,” this is when you track your cycle to guess when you’re most likely to be ovulating (that’s when you don’t want to do the deed).

· Withdrawal: This is when a guy pulls out before ejaculating. “It’s not very effective, since sperm can be present before ejaculation,” says Dr. Kecia Gaither, Director of Perinatal Services at NYC Health+Hospitals/Lincoln.

2. Nothing is 100% effective, except abstinence.

Not trying to sound like your sex ed teacher or anything — it’s just important to be aware that birth control snafus happen, and if you’re not ready to deal with that, avoiding penis-in-vagina intercourse is a pretty solid way to prevent pregnancy.

According to Planned Parenthood, here’s how effective each method is:

· Male condoms: 85%

· Female condoms: 79%

· Diaphragm: 88%

· Spermicide: 71%

· Cervical cap: 71-86%

· IUD: 99%

· Fertility awareness: 76-88%

· Withdrawal: 78%

3. Think about what’ll actually work for you.

It might seem obvious —just pick the most effective method, right? But keep in mind those stats are based on you using each method perfectly. And if you pick a method that’s not ideal for you, you probably won’t use it perfectly — or at all! — so you need to consider what’s actually going to work for you.

“Are you comfortable with the cost factor? Are you comfortable with the frequency of use? Are you ready for the potential side effects?” Dr. Gaither says.

For example, a copper IUD is 99% effective (yay!), but having something inserted in your uterus may feel kinda invasive, and you might not want to deal with possible side effects like cramping or spotting.

And tracking your cycle may sound easy, but it requires some serious dedication to do it right — like checking your vaginal discharge every day — and even then, it’s not foolproof. “This is one of the least reliable methods of birth control, because your cycle can be altered by stress, exercise, and weight loss,” Dr. Gaither says.

4. Non-hormonal birth control doesn’t always offer STI protection.

One major reason you might be considering non-hormonal birth control is that hormonal methods like the pill, the patch, and the ring don’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections.

But here’s the thing: While some non-hormonal birth control methods offer some protection, you have to be careful about which method you choose if this is important to you (which, obvi, it should be).

Male and female condoms both offer some STI protection, but they’re not foolproof. Aaaaaand…that’s basically it. The IUD, the sponge, the diaphragm, the cervical cap, spermicide, cycle tracking, and withdrawal can lower your risk of getting preggo, but they don’t protect against STIs. If you choose one of those methods, make sure you also use a condom to help protect against STIs. (It’ll also help reduce your risk of pregnancy even further.)

Still not sure which method is right for you? Schedule a visit with your gyno — she can chat with you about your options and help you figure out what might work best for you. That’s what she’s there for.

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