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Which Birth Control Methods Prevent Pregnancy But Not STDs?

  • Writer: Arbor Women's Clinic
    Arbor Women's Clinic
  • Jul 24
  • 2 min read

It's important to learn about various methods, how they work, how effective each can be, and what side effects or responsibilities may come with contraceptives. Asking good questions and making healthy decisions can help prevent an STD or unintended pregnancy.


If you think you may already be pregnant and are exploring your options, please note that it is unsafe to use contraceptives (Plan B or birth control) to force or cause a miscarriage or as a self-managed abortion. Need STI testing? Arbor Women's Clinic in Harriman, TN, can provide basic STI testing at no cost to you.




birth control

Birth Control Methods That Do NOT Protect Against STDs:

1. Hormonal Methods

  • Birth control pills

  • Patch

  • Vaginal ring (NuvaRing)

  • Birth control shot (Depo-Provera)

  • Implant (Nexplanon)

  • Hormonal IUD


2. Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)

  • Copper IUD (non-hormonal)

  • Hormonal IUD 


3. Barrier Methods (Not All)

  • Diaphragms

  • Cervical caps

  • Spermicides 


4. Permanent Methods

  • Tubal ligation (for women)

  • Vasectomy (for men)


Which Methods Prevent Pregnancy and STDs?

Condoms (male or female), when used correctly and consistently, can reduce the risk of both pregnancy and STDs, including HIV. However, 13 out of 100 couples using male condoms (13% failure rate) as their only birth control method for a year will experience a pregnancy, and female condoms have a 21% failure rate. If you think you may be pregnant, start with a free consultation today.



However, the only way to prevent STDs and an unexpected pregnancy 100% of the time is to abstain from sexual intercourse. Looking for more information? We do not provide birth control; however, Arbor Women's Clinic can provide education on Natural Family Planning (NFP), preventing pregnancies and STDs, and free medical services and options if you’re facing a pregnancy decision in Harriman, TN. Contact us to learn more.




 
 
 

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Life Choices Medical Center in Harriman, TN, is committed to providing you with everything you need to make an informed pregnancy decision. We believe women and men have a right to get information from a resource that will not profit from the choices and pregnancy decisions they make. All our services are free and confidential. We serve the East Tennessee Region.

 

Life Choices Medical Center is a 501c3 non-profit in the state of Tennessee. The information on this site is for educational purposes only and should not be substituted for medical or legal advice.​ We are committed to protecting your health information. Please be aware that communicating via unencrypted text messaging or messaging services has some level of risk of being read by a 3rd party. We provide evidence-based education on abortion and pregnancy options. While we do not provide or refer for abortion services, we can answer your questions about side effects, what to expect, and more. We provide ultrasounds to estimate how far along you are and assess whether the pregnancy appears to be developing in the uterus. An ultrasound alone cannot rule out an ectopic pregnancy. Contact us to learn more.

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