There's some new research from the Guttmacher Institute out on non-permanent contraceptive failure rates that I wanted to share. When someone decides what method of contraception is best for them, an important factor for a lot of people is likelihood of failure. Using data from the National Survey of Family Growth, the researchers found that while there are some things that haven't changed (like LARCS still have lower failure rates than condoms), the rate of failure for all methods has decreased. That includes condom use, which is particularly interesting given that condoms also protect against sexually transmitted infections, over the counter, and accessible to male-bodied people. Reduced rates of contraceptive failures means increased numbers of people who have better control over their sexual health and lives.
There are a couple possible explanations. One could be that more people are using LARCs, which are more effective. Another is increased knowledge about contraception and improved, consistent usage. The researchers suggest some interesting avenues for future research and public health efforts. The researchers noted some disparities based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. As with many things, while this research is very encouraging and yet, there is still a lot of work to do.