What You Need to Know About Every Contraception Method Available in Canada

What’s the most popular birth control method in Canada? You might be surprised to find out it’s actually condoms. Number two spot: The Pill. The third most used method to not get pregnant is “withdrawal.” This is from the Canadian Contraception Survey. If you’re wondering about the best contraception for you, consider the pros and cons for each method before committing to a birth control method.

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Condoms are sheath shape barriers made of either latex or polyurethane to fit over the penis or inside the vagina to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections. The cost for a condom is relatively cheap, compared to other birth-control methods, about $1.50 to $3 each. They are sold in packages at drug stores.

Condom Pros

• Easy to find — as long as there’s a pharmacy open, you’ve got access!
• No prescription required
• Doesn’t affect fertility after you stop using it
• Can be used for both birth control as well as disease prevention
• There are some “fun” condoms, with playful packaging, different sensation options as well as flavours

Cons

• Some people are allergic to latex (opt for latex free, if that’s you)
• Not 100 percent effective against pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease
• One use per condom – cannot be reused
• May take some getting used to (but practice makes perfect, so maybe that’s not a con after all

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Spermicide products, like sponges, foam and jelly, work to prevent pregnancy by destroying sperm in the vagina. It’s used inside the vagina before sex. Sponges retail for about $20 for a package of three, and jellies and foams are about $10 and up for a tube.

Pros

• Just buy it at your local drug store
• No prescription required
• Doesn’t affect fertility after you stop using it
• Can be used for both birth control as well as disease prevention
• There are some “fun” condoms, with playful packaging, different sensation options as well as flavours

Cons

• Not safe to use if you’re on your period
• Doesn’t protect against sexually-transmitted diseases and infections
• May irritate the vagina for some women
• Insertion isn’t easy for everyone

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An IUD is a T-shaped device inserted in the uterus by a doctor. There are two types: Copper IUD to act as a spermicide and hormonal IUD to prevent the release of an egg. The first type can cost under $100. The hormone can vary between $300 and $500, and some provinces and drug plans will cover the cost.

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Pros

• Low maintenance — you get it inserted at the doctor’s office and forget about it for three years to 10 years
• It’s up to you if you want to use an IUD that’s hormone-free (copper IUDs work as a spermicide) or with progesterone (to prevent egg release) • After insertion, you don’t feel it
• Very low rate of pregnancy with use of an IUD – 99% effective
• May be used as emergency contraception

Cons

• You cannot insert it yourself – you need a doctor to do that for you
• May cause cramping, spotting or infection • Does not protect against STDs and STIs.


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Daily pills containing female hormones help to prevent pregnancy by stopping the release of an egg from the ovaries. A month’s supply can cost around $20 and up, depending on the brand. Many drug plans will cover the cost.

Pros

• Variety of choice for hormone levels, including combination and low-progesterone options
• Can make periods more tolerable – less pain and lighter flow • Also helps with acne, bone health, endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, iron deficiency, hormone-related cysts and may lower the risk for certain female cancers, and more
• You can safely take “the pill” to intentionally miss period

Cons

• Must remember to take it daily in order for “the pill to be effective” — miss one or more and you may risk pregnancy
• Only protects against pregnancy, not STDs and STIs
• Not over the counter, as you’ll need a prescription to buy the monthly supplies
• May take a few months for fertility to resume after you stop taking “the pill”
• You can’t take it if you smoke cigarettes

Like a smoking cessation patch, the contraceptive skin patch releases medication through the skin. But in this case, it releases female birth control hormones like in “the pill.” It’s about $15 or more per week (one patch per week). You need a prescription, but you can apply it yourself.

Pros

• Works similarly to “the pill” but there’s no daily maintenance
• Makes periods regular and predictable
• Can be safely used to skip a period
• Same off-label benefits as “the pill” for acne, bone health, endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, iron deficiency, hormone-related cysts and may lower the risk for certain female cancers, and more

Cons

• May irritate skin
• Must remember to change the patch on a weekly basis for it to work
• May be visible, depending on your clothes and where you put it
• You will need to get a prescription to buy
• You will need an alternative method, like condoms, to protect against STDs and STIs

This contraception is inserted in the vagina (you do this yourself), and uses female hormones to prevent the release of an egg, makes it difficult for sperm to travel into the uterus, and helps to prevent a fertilized egg implanting into the uterus. It’s about $175, but can be washed and reused. It may also be covered by some drug plans.

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Pros

• Failure rate is very low – just .3 per cent
• Birth control can last up to three weeks inserted
• You can insert the ring yourself – it’s similar to inserting a tampon
• Some brands can be used for up to a year
• Can be safely used to skip a period
• Similar benefits for hormone related issues as “the pill,” including acne, bone thinning, PMS, and so on.

Cons

• Side effects may include headaches, weight gain, nausea or vaginal irritation
• Protects against pregnancy, but not STDs and STIs
• Not meant to be used by women over 35
• May increase risk of toxic shock syndrome

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Once every three months your doctor injects you with a progesterone-like hormone to prevent the release of an egg. A popular contraceptive injection brand is Depo-Provera. It can cost $30 per injection. You would need a prescription (so it may be covered), but your doctor is who administers it for you.

Pros

• Protects against pregnancy for up to three to four months
• Starts to work immediately
• May make your periods lighter and less painful • Same benefits as “the pill” for hormone-related issues, like acne, PMS, endometriosis and more

Cons

• Long-term use increases risk for bone loss and osteoporosis • Fertility may take up to three to four months to resume to normal after last injection
• You will have to see your doctor regularly for injections – but regular checkups aren’t necessarily a bad thing, just not always convenient
• Doesn’t protect against STDs and STIs

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Sometimes called the morning-after pill, emergency contraception is like “the pill” but as a single dose. It’s used to prevents pregnancy about 72 hours after sex. However, the longer you wait, the less effective it may be. It is not an “abortion pill” and won’t work if you’re already pregnant. You do not need a prescription, although some pharmacies may stock it behind the counter. It costs about $40.

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Pros

• Available over the counter
• Effectiveness may last for five days
• There’s only one pill to take
• May be used with “the pill” or condoms if you slip up

Cons

• Will not protect against STDs and STIs
• Side effects may include headache, nausea, cramps, heavy periods, and more.
• It may not work as well in women who weigh more than 165 pounds.

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We don’t often refer to sterilization as sterilization. You’ll more likely hear about getting vasectomy (in men) or the tubes tied (in women). For men, it’s considered a safer procedure for men than it is for women. For women, the fallopian tubes are blocked so that the sperm and egg cannot connect. Anesthesia is used, so she is asleep during the surgery, and recovery is about two weeks. For men, it’s a 20-minute procedure involving local anesthetic and two incisions, so that the sperm doesn’t enter the urethra. Recovery is one/two days. They are covered under provincial health care.

Pros

• One time treatments that have lasting birth-control benefits
• Effectiveness is the highest of all the birth-control methods
• It can be reversed (again, much easier to do in men)
• Side effects are minimal (less than 1 in 1,000)

Cons

• It is much more of a commitment compared to other birth-control methods
• Although minor for men, both are still considered surgical procedures, and involve recovery times
• Does not protect against STDs or STIs
• Side effects include bleeding, infection, ectopic pregnancy (low risk for women who’ve had their tubes tied)

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Family planning doesn’t really cost much (a thermometer, calendar or app, luteinizing hormone tests, about $10 and up), but it can cost your time. This involves tracking not just the cycle, but also basal body temperature, ovulation, vaginal mucus, cervix, and more. Essentially you are doing what couples who are trying to conceive do, but for the opposite reason — to not become pregnant.

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Pros

• It’s natural, drug-free and has no physical effects
• It puts you in the know of your body and how it works
• No side effects
• Can be effective when done properly

Cons

• Period of abstinence once a month – meaning no sex!
• Not suitable for women with irregular cycles
• No more spontaneous sex — as you know when you can and can’t have sex

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