Committing to a vegan lifestyle requires attention to detail, as animal byproducts show up in everyday items that one wouldn’t expect. One category that a vegan can easily overlook is contraceptives. Many people don’t think about what contraceptives are made of as they aren’t outright made from animal skins (typically), bone or other discernable ingredients. While most contraceptives aren’t vegan, there are a few that do fit the bill. We’ve created a guide for you below highlighting the methods, how they work, their effectiveness, downsides, and brands or additional information to consider.

The methods we are exploring are non-hormonal birth control methods. Non-hormonal birth control is considered by many to be a better option. That’s because there are less potential side effects such as weight gain, depression, and overall mood changes. We’ve taken away the doubt and made the choices clearer to understand with less suggested side effects. This is to help you make the most informed choice for your body, preferences, and lifestyle.

What’s the difference between hormonal birth control and non-hormonal birth control?

Hormonal birth control

Hormonal birth control regulates the changes in hormone levels in a woman’s cycle. Women can achieve this using synthetic hormones that mimic estrogen and progesterone to prevent pregnancy. Methods for hormonal birth control include the pill, the shot, the patch, NuvaRing and some IUD’s.

Non-Hormonal birth control

Non-hormonal birth control does not rely on the use of hormones to prevent pregnancy. The variety of methods include using a barrier to prevent sperm from getting to the egg, use of sperm killing agents, charting of one’s cycle’s, and vasectomy and tubal ligation. Non-hormonal birth control methods include condoms, female condoms, diaphragms, the sponge, copper IUD’s, spermicide, surgery, and charting one’s cycle.

Method: Fertility Awareness Method

Who Uses It: Females

vegan contraceptives

How It Works

The method we are referring to is from Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It relies on a series of bodily cues that help you determine when you are ovulating. Knowing this helps you to determine what days you should avoid sex or use a contraceptive. This method employs taking your temperature at the same time daily and charting it. This is to determine when you’ve ovulated, as your temperature jumps up sharply when this has occurred. In conjunction with checking your temperature every morning, checking your cervical mucus and recording that on your chart is an extremely effective method for determining when you are close to ovulation. This is when you are most fertile. Cervical mucus changes consistency and appearance throughout various phases of a woman’s cycle. This change in consistency makes it easy to identify when one is fertile after tracking it for a few months.

Effectiveness

According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The Fertility Awareness Method is anywhere from 76-95% effective depending on how it is used. Perfect use results in much lower incidences of unplanned pregnancies. However, not being consistent, not being careful during your fertile window and not correctly identifying your fertile window make it less effective.

Benefits

This is an extremely natural method of pregnancy prevention and when used correctly is pretty effective with no side effects. This method helps women become more tuned in to their menstrual cycles and become empowered in their sexual health. This method works great for monogamous couples who don’t always want to use barrier contraceptives but still want to avoid pregnancy.

Any Risks or Downsides

This method requires a thorough understanding of one’s cycle as well as daily dedication and monitoring. This gives it the potential to be less effective if one doesn’t chart correctly or doesn’t understand exactly what they are doing.

Brands Available

“Taking Charge of Your Fertility” by Toni Weschler is a comprehensive guide on understanding one’s cycles. The guide helps you understand how to track them and how to interpret the information you obtain through temperature tracking and cervical mucus.

Additional Information

There are several ways to track your cycle other than writing it down. These other ways make monitoring easy helping you determine your fertile window. Lady Comp is a fertility monitor that uses your information to help you determine your fertile days. It has a 99.3% accuracy. Several phone apps are available as well to input your tracking information. Physicians and experts created a study then rated current fertility awareness apps for their accuracy to help determine which are best to use and that can be found here.

Method: Condoms

Who Uses It: Males

vegan contraceptives

How It Works

Prior to any genital contact including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, a condom is taken out of its wrapper, inspected for holes and put onto the penis. The condom is left on for the entire duration of sexual contact. Condoms greatly reduce the risk of pregnancy as well as lower the risk of transmitting and contracting STDs.

Effectiveness

Planned Parenthood estimates condoms are 85% effective at preventing pregnancy. Condoms effectiveness goes up with correct usage and using them while also practicing withdrawal. The theoretical effectiveness is 98% if used properly. Proper use entails putting it on correctly, putting a condom on at the right time, not using them in conjunction with female condoms, using proper lubricants depending on the condom’s materials, and using condoms that have been stored properly.

Benefits

Condoms are relatively easy to access and aren’t super expensive.

Any Risks or Downsides

Condoms require forethought and preparation, especially when committing to using only vegan brands. Making sure you always have them on hand and have them with you takes a bit of extra preparation. Condoms rarely cause any side effects with the exception of allergies due to the materials used.

Vegan Brands Available

Sir Richard’s Condom Company, Glyde, Sustain, This is L. Vegan brands are free of casein and many of the companies listed use fair trade rubber or sustainable latex. They are also free of many traditional chemicals used in condoms.

Additional Information

Female condoms are also available, although not as common in vegan brands. Female condoms are roughly 79% effective and require the same preparation and forethought as male condoms. Femidom is one vegan female condom that you can find fairly easily with an online search.

Method: Vasectomy

Who Uses It: Males

vegan contraceptives

How It Works

A vasectomy is a quick surgery that blocks or cuts the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the scrotum. Roughly three months after the surgery or when your post-vasectomy semen analysis indicates you to be sterile and have no more sperm in your semen, you can have sex without a condom with minimal risk of pregnancy.

Effectiveness

Estimated to be 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Benefits

This method does not require daily attention. It is a great option for couples in monogamous relationships who do not want to use barrier methods and want to avoid pregnancy. This method is considered highly effective.

Any Risks or Downsides

This requires a greater monetary investment than other methods as well as undergoing minor surgery and recovery. This method isn’t effective until a post-vasectomy semen analysis shows that all the sperms are out of the semen. This procedure isn’t always reversible, and it can be challenging to find a doctor to okay the procedure. This method does not prevent transmission of STD’s.

Vegan Brands Available: None.

Additional Information

While this is potentially a great option for someone who does not want children, the procedure does require some pharmaceuticals which are tested on animals. This renders it not completely free of animal suffering but very minimal in the long term.

Method: Tubal Ligation

Who Uses It: Females

vegan contraceptives

How It Works:

Tubal Ligation, also known as getting your tubes tied, is a surgical procedure that permanently closes or blocks the fallopian tubes, making it impossible for sperm to reach an egg.

Effectiveness

Estimated to be 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Benefits

This method does not require daily attention. It is another great option for couples in monogamous relationships who do not want to use barrier methods and want to avoid pregnancy. This method is considered highly effective.

Any Risks or Downsides

This requires a greater monetary investment than other methods as well as undergoing minor surgery and recovery. This procedure isn’t always reversible, and it can be challenging to find a doctor to okay the procedure. This method does not prevent transmission of STD’s.

Vegan Brands Available: None.

Additional Information

While this is potentially a great option for someone who does not want children, the procedure does require some pharmaceuticals which are tested on animals. This means it is not completely free of animal suffering but very minimal in the long term.

Method: Copper IUD

Who Uses It: Females

vegan contraceptives

How It Works

The doctor inserts a T shaped device into the uterus. This device is wrapped in copper which causes an inflammatory reaction that is toxic to both sperm and eggs, preventing pregnancy.

Effectiveness

Estimated to be more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Benefits

This method does not require daily attention. Once it is inserted, it (usually) stays in place and is effective for up to 10 years. You can use it as emergency contraception if placed within 5 days of unprotected sex.

Any Risks or Downsides

Must be tested on animals first. This device doesn’t protect against STD’s. It can cause heavy bleeding or rarely a pelvic infection. The full list of side effects is available here.

Vegan Brands Available

Only one brand is available in the US – Paragard.

Additional Information

This method carries more side effects than many of the others available. Nonetheless, it may be a good option depending on your preferences and lifestyle.

Non-hormonal methods that are not vegan

The sponge, cervical cap, and diaphragm do not appear on our list because they rely on spermicide use to be effective. To the best of our knowledge, no vegan spermicides are currently on the market. One item, Contragel, is currently marketed as vegan and sold as vegan by many websites. While it is a more natural spermicide, one look at the ingredient list and it’s easy to spot lactic acid, which they specify is milk derived. Another website portrays the lactic acid in Contragel as a vegan source, leaving the jury out as to whether or not it is truly vegan product. If you decide to choose any of these non-hormonal methods, remember that spermicide use is suggested for each one to make them more effective. Do some research to see if you feel comfortable using any spermicides that are currently on the market.

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