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              Blog 2010 October Contraceptive Upgrade Proves Cost Effective
              Oct 19, 2010

              Contraceptive Upgrade Proves Cost Effective

              questionUpfront costs of contraception may be misleading. Birth control pills (OCPs) range in cost from about $10 for generics to $45 for branded pills per cycle, yet 5% of couples conceive while using them. More astounding are the multitude of people who count on condoms for protection, which are extremely cheap at less than one dollar per use, yet they are unaware of a failure rate of approximately 15% per year. So what is the cost of an unplanned pregnancy? The health care costs alone for delivery of an infant exceed $10,000. Current estimate for raising a child from birth to the age of 18 for a middle-class American family is approximately $170,000 (this does not include college or increasingly common behavior of “failure to launch,” where children reside at home well into their 20’s).

              mirena-iudSo the true value proposition is more complex. Long-acting contraceptives provide a lesson in cost-effective medicine. Upfront cost for an intrauterine device (IUD) is approximately $800. However, Mirena® lasts up to five years, and Paraguard® lasts up to 10 years; which are both less expensive than many oral contraceptives over such a long period of time, and significantly more effective failing approximately 1% per year. The manufacture of Mirena® even offers a payment plan of $35 per month for two years (approximately the cost of branded OCPs). IUDs are now FDA approved as reversible contraception for women of all ages (no increased risk of infection or infertility).

              Vasectomy is the least expensive form of permanent birth control. However too often it is difficult to convince a man to proceed with this procedure, so responsibility falls back upon the woman.

              adianaDespite beliefs to the contrary, all methods of contraception are safer than pregnancy. In making your decision begin with real-world effectiveness as you review all methods of birth control available. Then consider possible side effects, convenience, and finally cumulative expense over desired time of protection. In this way, you not only have freedom of choice but also make a value-based informed decision.

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