Which contraception method has 91-99% typical-use effectiveness with consistent use?

• A. Barrier methods
• B. Hormonal methods
• C. Intrauterine devices
• D. Sterilization

Answer: (B)

Typical-use effectiveness looks at how well a method works in real life, including when doses or schedules aren’t followed perfectly. Hormonal methods require regular action—daily pills, weekly patches, monthly rings, or injections on a schedule—but when used consistently, they provide strong protection, generally in the 91-99% range. The hormones reliably prevent pregnancy as long as the dosing is kept on time, so adherence brings you into that high effectiveness bracket.

Barrier methods, in contrast, rely on correct use at every sexual encounter, and even small lapses can lower their effectiveness into the 70s or 80s, which is why they don’t fit the 91-99% range. Intrauterine devices and sterilization are highly effective even with typical use, often around or above 99%, which places them above that range rather than within it. So the method that best matches the 91-99% typical-use range with consistent use is the hormonal approach.