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Review
. 2011 May;83(5):397-404.
doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2011.01.021. Epub 2011 Mar 12.

Contraceptive failure in the United States

James Trussell  1
Affiliations
Review

Contraceptive failure in the United States

James Trussell. Contraception. 2011 May.

Abstract

This review provides an update of previous estimates of first-year probabilities of contraceptive failure for all methods of contraception available in the United States. Estimates are provided of probabilities of failure during typical use (which includes both incorrect and inconsistent use) and during perfect use (correct and consistent use). The difference between these two probabilities reveals the consequences of imperfect use; it depends both on how unforgiving of imperfect use a method is and on how hard it is to use that method perfectly. These revisions reflect new research on contraceptive failure both during perfect use and during typical use.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparing typical effectiveness of contraceptive methods
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Contraceptive failure in the United States.
    Jennings V, Sinai I. Jennings V, et al. Contraception. 2012 Mar;85(3):331-2; author reply 332. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2011.07.005. Epub 2011 Sep 9. Contraception. 2012. PMID: 22067770 No abstract available.

References

    1. Trussell J, Grummer-Strawn L. Contraceptive failure of the ovulation method of periodic abstinence. Fam Plann Perspect. 1990;22:65–75. - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization. Comparing typical effectiveness of contraceptive methods. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2007. [cited 2010 Jun 7]. Available from: http://www.fhi.org/nr/shared/enFHI/Resources/EffectivenessChart.pdf.
    1. Trussell J. Estimates of contraceptive failure from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth. Contraception. 2008;78:85. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kost K, Singh S, Vaughan B, Trussell J, Bankole A. Estimates of contraceptive failure from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. Contraception. 2008;77:10–21. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Arévalo M, Jennings V, Sinai I. Efficacy of a new method of family planning: the Standard Days Method. Contraception. 2002;65:333–8. - PubMed

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