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Birth control options

Birth control options

If your biological sex is female then you have a lot of options for birth control. It's a good idea to talk to a health care professional about what will work best for you. The information below is a good place to start.

What kind of options are available?

Hormonal methods

These mimic natural hormones in the woman's body. Most hormonal methods stop ovaries from releasing an egg every month.

Brand Effectiveness Cost
Pill 92% $15-$20 / month
Patch 92% $15 / month
NuvaRing 92% $15 / month
Depo-Provera (Depo shot) 97% $40 / 3 months

Condoms

Condoms prevent the sperm from reaching the egg.

Type Effectiveness Cost
Male condom 85% $0.50 – $1 each
Female condom 79% $5 each

Intrauterine Device (IUD)

IUDs are a small, t-shaped device that's inserted into a woman’s uterus by a doctor.

Type Effectiveness Cost
Copper IUD 99.2% $75-$180 every 5 years
Hormonal IUD 99.9% $385 every 5 years

Natural Methods

These don't require the use any products to prevent pregnancy.

Method Effectiveness Cost
Not having sex 100% $0
Withdrawal/ Pulling Out 73% effective $0
Breastfeeding a newborn baby 99.5% for six months $0
Fertility awareness method* 75% $0

*The fertility awareness method predicts fertile and infertile times in your menstrual cycle.

Emergency Contraception 

Emergency contraception is taken after sex. It's more effective the sooner it's taken, but can still help up to five days after unprotected sex.

  • Plan B (the morning after pill) is 95% effective within the first 24 hours of sex and 89% for the next 48 hours. It costs about $20.

I can't afford birth control, what should I do?

Insider Tip

If you're on income assistance, the Mirena IUD is covered through Pharmacare. 

If you're status Aboriginal, several birth control methods are covered through the Non-Insured Health Benefits program.

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