stressed about pregnancy

[confused123]

when people use condoms correctly, how do they become pregnant? I asked before where the 2% failure rate for condoms (when used correctly) comes from and a member of the Scarleteen staff told me that even if directions are followed to a T, condoms can still break, leak, etc. However, I've heard about people who claim they did everything right and used the condom correctly and said there was no breakage, leakage or whatnot. I'm very confused and stressed out trying to figure out how this could be, I haven't found a clear answer yet and was hoping someone could help me out

[Heather]

We've got a few different threads on the boards where I have talked about this (please be sure and search before posting, in the case you aren't).

Long story short:
1) A lot of people don't know how to use condoms properly and what that means, like that storage matters, or that a condom being on for ALL contact matters.
2) Some people do not feel they can be honest about how pregnancy has happened, like feeling like if they say they didn't use condoms (or other contraception) or didn't do so properly, they won't be supported, will be judged, or in certain situations, will be unsafe.
3) Anytime, with anything, we're in a "well, my cousin told me about this person their friend knows," or you're otherwise hearing secondhand about others, you have to know that's just stuff to dismiss, not pay attention to. Passed around and around just isn't a way things start or stay factual.

The effectiveness statistics we have for condoms and other methods come from broad studies of thousands and thousands of people. So, you can not only trust those, but those are far more reliable than what you may hear from -- or even second or third-hand -- one or two people anecdotally. What we say here about effectiveness is based in sound, broad study and fact from credible healthcare sources, not anecdotes.

If you feel stressed about condom use by itself to prevent pregnancy, then what you want to do is look into a second method to use with them, not get invested in these kinds of stories.

[confused123]

I'm sorry, I tried looking through some threads and didn't find anything that related to this topic. Thank you for the info. What i was trying to find out was if it is true that condoms have "microscopic holes" that allow sperm to pass through ? also, if they are used correctly, can they still fail without the user knowing?

I'm sorry again, If there is an existing thread that answers my questions please link me to it so you don't have to go through the trouble of re-explaining

[Johanna]

Here is our info on condoms, which should also answer your questions:
Condom Basics: A User's Manual
All the Barriers! All the Time!

[Heather]

And no, there are not holes in condoms that allow sperm cells or pathogens to pass through. That's knowingly false information that abstinence-only groups have spread around to try and scare people out of sex.

[confused123]

I read through both articles and I didnt find the answers I was looking for

[confused123]

I didn't see the second response about the holes, thank you for cleaning that up. Could you please answer my other question for me

[Johanna]

Condoms may still fail, even when used correctly. However, a failure is noticeable - when a condom fails, it bursts like a balloon.