5 most effective contraceptives you totally should know about before you start having sex

Let’s first mention that there are a lot more options available than the five mentioned here. But if you are looking for the surest ones that you can use and just continue to enjoy yourself without fear of pregnancy, these five are what you are looking for.

1. Intrauterine system [IUS]: stops sperm directly in their track

The IUS is a tiny T-shaped device which is placed in the womb by your healthcare professional. It lasts for 3-5 years and is 99.8% effective.

How does it work?

When the IUS is placed in the womb, it continuously releases a low dose of progestin. The main effect of this is that the mucus in your cervix gets thicker, thereby making it harder for sperm to move freely and reach the egg.

At 99.8% protection, the IUS is surely a wonderful option for you to consider. You can read more on it here.

2. Intra-uterine device [IUD]: the ultimate sperm blocker

This small device is also placed in your womb by your healthcare provider and for the next 5-10 years, you’re free to have as much sex without any pregnancy scare. Amazing stuff, shebi?

See ehn, that’s not even all about it. It is 99% effective and can be stopped once you decide to. About 5.2%* of Nigeria’s total contraceptive users are using this.

How does it work?

Once the IUD is in place, it releases copper ions which makes it difficult for sperm to move around in your womb but does not stop the ovaries from making an egg each month. Click here to get more gist on the IUD.

3. Contraceptive implant: as discreet as effective!

This involves the placement of one or two hormone-releasing silicone rods under the skin of the upper arm. Each rod is actually as tiny as a matchstick and once in place, consider yourself fortified with odeshi against pregnancies for the next 3-5 years. And at 99.95% effectiveness, it provides protection you can rely on.

Unsurprisingly, about 10.9%* of Nigerians who use contraception prefer this over other options.

How does it work?

Once the rod is implanted just below the skin of your upper arm, it releases progestin in small doses into your bloodstream. Progestin is that hormone that keeps your ovaries from releasing eggs, while also thickening your cervical mucus. This makes it really difficult for sperm to swim around in the womb. See for yourself here.

4. Contraceptive Injection: tested and trusted protection

If you decide to go with this option, you can prevent pregnancy for between 1-3 months, at 94% effectiveness! As much as 33.8%* of Nigerian contraceptives users prefer this option ahead of others, so it is one you may want to seriously consider choosing as well.

How does it work?

The contraceptive injection is a shot that contains either hormone progestin alone, or a combination of progestin and estrogen. The effect of the injection is pretty similar to what the contraceptive implant does. See all the pros and cons of this method here.

5. Sterilization: no going back

Sterilization is the taking away of one’s ability to reproduce for good. In other words, once it is done, it is gone! Because of its irreversible nature, it is unsurprising that only 1.6%* of female Nigerian contraceptive users chose it, and for men the figure drops even further to 0.2%*.

How does it work?

Sterilization is available for both women and men and there are a few different surgical and non-surgical types of procedure. For women the most common is tubal ligation and male sterilization is often referred to as vasectomy. Read more about that here.