New Study Takes a Closer Look at Which Birth Control Works Best
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday, May 24th, found that the effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraception is superior to that of contraceptive pills, patch, or ring. This is important news for the global health community–especially in light of Melinda Gates’ recent announcement of her decision to make family planning her signature issue and primary public health priority.
From the Time Magazine article about the study:
The study involved 7,486 women participating in the Contraceptive Choice Project, run by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The women, aged 14 to 45, were given their choice of contraception for free and then tracked for up to three years for unintended pregnancy. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that longer-lasting contraceptives were up to 20 times more effective — that is, women using IUDs, implants or hormone injections were up to 20 times less likely to get pregnant — after three years than the shorter-acting methods of birth control.
Read the study here.
A number of news organizations have written about the study:
Time Magazine, Which Birth Control Works Best? (Hint: It’s Not the Pill).
The Wall Street Journal, Long-Lasting Birth Control Cuts Pregnancy Rate