Contraceptive Methods You Should Never Mix

Illustration of a woman holding two condoms and raising a stop hand with the headline “Don’t double condoms”.

Some contraceptive pairs reduce protection or add risk. If you want to “double up,” choose methods that complement each other—not ones that fight or cancel out. Below are combinations most people should avoid, plus better substitutes. Pairs you shouldn’t mix Don’t mix Why it’s a bad combo Better instead Two external condoms or an external … Read more

How Effective is Using Two Contraceptives at Once?

Illustration of a woman holding a condom and a pill pack with the headline “Double up, done right”.

Using two methods at the same time can lower pregnancy risk, especially if at least one method protects against user error. The calculator below estimates protection when you combine methods under typical or perfect use. Check your combined protection How the estimate works (plain math) Convert each method’s effectiveness to a failure rate. Example: 95% … Read more

Top Contraceptive Method Combinations for Maximum Protection

Illustration of a woman gesturing to a shield with a plus sign and check marks; headline reads “Best pairings”.

Some pairs of birth control work especially well together. Below are evidence-based combinations that increase pregnancy protection while keeping STI protection in mind. When you want precise numbers for your situation, use our Combined Contraceptive Effectiveness Calculator. How “combined effectiveness” works (in plain English) Each method has a small chance of failure in a given … Read more