Annual failure rate of a combined oral contraceptive pill is approximately?

Annual failure rate of a combined oral contraceptive pill is approximately?

• A. 9%
• B. 3%
• C. 12%
• D. 20%

Answer: (A)

The main idea is the typical-use failure rate of the combined oral contraceptive pill over one year. With typical use, about 8–9% of users become pregnant in the first year, mainly because pills may be missed or not taken consistently. The figure of about 9% is the standard estimate you’ll see for typical-use failure of COCs. In contrast, perfect use—taking every pill exactly on time without any missed doses—has a failure rate around 0.3%. Among the options, 9% best matches the typical-use rate. The other numbers are either closer to perfect-use (3%), or higher than the usual typical-use estimate (12% or 20%). This is a good reminder that user adherence heavily influences effectiveness.

The main idea is the typical-use failure rate of the combined oral contraceptive pill over one year. With typical use, about 8–9% of users become pregnant in the first year, mainly because pills may be missed or not taken consistently. The figure of about 9% is the standard estimate you’ll see for typical-use failure of COCs. In contrast, perfect use—taking every pill exactly on time without any missed doses—has a failure rate around 0.3%. Among the options, 9% best matches the typical-use rate. The other numbers are either closer to perfect-use (3%), or higher than the usual typical-use estimate (12% or 20%). This is a good reminder that user adherence heavily influences effectiveness.