How Long After Is Birth Control Effective (And Why)?

Exact Answer: After about 3 weeks

Population explosion is a major crisis faced by every country these days. The population of creatures surviving on earth is increasing geometrically with the resources present in the earth getting depleted in the same sequence. Hence, birth control has become the most important key to fight this evil.

The reasons behind the population explosion are many including the existing superstitions and lack of knowledge in the hands of people. Today, NGOs and the government are trying hard to make people aware of the various ways of birth control. But, the general people must also be competent enough to receive their efforts with positivity.

Birth control includes all those methods which can prevent the rise of the population. There are various well-known ways of birth control. Some of them are birth control medicinal pills, IUDs, barriers, and surgeries. All these methods have their own efficiency along with some side effects. But, all of them are useful in controlling the growing population.

How Long After Is Birth Control Effective?

The birth control measures are mainly dependent on the general principle i.e. up to how much time one wants to stop pregnancy. While condoms have been the most chosen and most effective ones, there are even others.

The first birth control measure includes taking pills. Various pills are available in the market. The combination pills should be administered at the onset of periods every month to prevent pregnancy. The natural way to stop pregnancy is not to indulge in sex up to 15 days after the onset of periods.

There are even some hormonal pills available in the market. The progesterone pill should be used along with some other barrier methods. It has also been successful in preventing pregnancy to some extent. But other methods have long term effects.

The IUDs stand for intrauterine devices. There are various types of IUDs, the most commonly used bring copper and hormonal ones. The copper one starts showing its effect from the moment it is inserted into the body.

The hormonal ones start showing their effects according to the time of their insertion. If they are inserted within 7 days of onset of periods, then one can be carefree to rely on it completely. While, if it is inserted in any day of the month later, then one has to use some other birth control measure after 7 days of onset of periods till the 14th day.

The same goes with implants too. Hence, it is best to get them inserted within the days of periods only. If someone wishes to use a Depo-Provera shot, then he/she should also use it within the periods only.

Why Does Birth Control Take So Long To Be Effective?

The barrier methods have also been proven effective and can be used by both sexes. Both male and female condoms are available which prevent even touching of skin during penetration. Condoms should be used only once and should be disposed of afterward.

They reduce the chances of pregnancy by preventing skin contact between the male and female partner. They are effective immediately after their use. The effectiveness of other barrier methods like diaphragms, sponges including cervical caps is also the same. One needs to go to the doctor for the correct insertion of these barriers. These need to be refitted with time.

There are even some sterilization processes for birth control. The process of tubal ligation creates an obstacle in the fallopian tube and prevents the egg from reaching its destination, the uterus. But it starts showing its effectiveness after 15-20 days of the process being carried out by surgery.

There is even another process called tubal occlusion in which the fallopian tubes are shut down prohibiting the entry of sperms and exit of ova thereby preventing their fusion to result in pregnancy. This is a medical process and hence should be carried out by a professional doctor only. But, it starts showing its effectiveness after a minimum of 3 months during which one needs to use some other birth control measures.

The natural way of preventing pregnancy is not as effective as the mechanical ones. In the case of man-made ones, barrier methods like the usage of pills and condoms, method is effective from the very time of their application. It gets activated to show its effects within few hours to few days.

The progesterone and combination pills take about 2-3 days to show their effects. With correct usage ensuring all precautions to be taken, it is effective in almost all cases. The IUD method is effective for a period of 6-10 years depending on the type and brand of IUD used. They start showing their effects after 7-10 days of being administered by the doctor.

Conclusion

There are other methods like which take 5-7 days for showing effects and are proven to be 99% effective. The patches take about 3-4 weeks for showing effects and are effective in about 91% of cases. The condoms are effective right at the moment of their application. While diaphragms are proven effective in 88% of the cases, female condoms are proven effective in about 79% of the cases.

On the other hand, male condoms are effective in about 82% of the cases. The combined use of these barriers is known to increase the effectiveness significantly. The usage of the vaginal ring has been proven effective in 90% of the cases and has taken about 7 days to be effective. There are even birth control injections that are effective within 7 days of their usage.

Surgical methods like vasectomy and others are proven effective in about 100% of the cases and are effective after healing the wounds. While there are various birth control methods, all of them except the surgical ones are not fully effective. They take time to show their effects. Even after perfect usage, sometimes they fail to stop pregnancy leading to unwanted pregnancies.

Reference

1. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/169/3949/941.abstract
2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1177/2168479015608415