Modern birth control, though fairly reliable, does fail on occasion. According to contracept.org, much of this failure can be attributed to improper use. The best way to avoid a failure is through self-education on proper use.

Condoms

A huge gap exists between failure rates of properly used and improperly used male condoms. To properly use a condom, the male should become fully erect before rolling it over the penis, all the way down to the base of the shaft. If slippage occurs during sex, or the erection is not sustained, replace the condom with a new one.

The Pill

The birth control pill is the most popular form of birth control according to PBS, and that is largely due to its high effectiveness, with a failure rate of 0.3 percent. The pill must be taken every day at approximately the same time. If you miss a day, take two the next day. If you miss two or more pills, consult the instructions on the box and use a back-up method.

The Most Effective Form

The most effective form of birth control is the Lunelle hormone shot for women, which fails a mere 0.05 percent of the time when administered correctly. A physician must inject it into the upper arm or buttocks every 28 to 30 days.

Other Methods

There are several other methods of birth control that have poor records. Spermicides, used alone, fail 18 percent of the time. The contraceptive sponge fails a staggering 20 percent of the time even when administered correctly. According to Planned Parenthood, the infamous "pull-out" method actually fails only 4 percent of the time when done correctly, which means having the control to pull out before ejaculation every time and not getting any semen onto the vulva when ejaculating outside the body. In actual practice, the pull-out method fails 27 percent of the time, as many men have trouble controlling ejaculation with such precision.

Preparation is Safest

Obviously, improper use of birth control accounts for most failure. But sometimes, birth control just fails. And over a long enough timeline, the chances of failure happening at least once grow. Experts at contracept.org suggest that all sexually active couples have a contingency plan in case a pregnancy ever does occur.

Source:

Contracept.org: Failure Rates

PBS: Pill is Most Popular Method of Birth Control

Planned Parenthood - Pull Out Method

Resource:

Boys Miss Out of Sex Education Talks

The Pill - Proper Use

Lunelle Monthly Injection