safe sex question

[lycheefan]

hi! i wanna have piv sex and i wanna know if using condoms and the withdrawl method is safe. it's asking a lot, but if anyone has statistics or something of the sort of that shows how well these methods work (together or separately) that would be great. thank you

[Emily N]

Hey lycheefan! Using both a condom and withdrawal is between 96.2-99.92% effective at preventing pregnancy, and condoms are also a good way to protect from STIs. This article gives a lot more info on the effectiveness of pairing different birth control methods. When used separately, condoms are 86-98% effective and withdrawal is 73-82% effective. If you want more information on other methods of birth control, you can also check out this Birth Control Bingo article.

[lycheefan]

thank you emily!! i appreciate the help

[Mo]

One thing I do want to add is that part of proper condom use includes holding the base of the condom when withdrawing from one's partner, to make sure the condom doesn't slip off the penis during withdrawal. Because withdrawal can happen pretty suddenly, when used as a birth control method, it can be difficult for people to remember this step or to do it properly.

What I'd suggest is making sure your partner knows this part of proper condom use and talking with them about making sure to withdraw properly during sex. You could share this link, which is a great overview of how to use a condom correctly, including the withdrawal step: Condom Basics: A User's Manual.

[lycheefan]

thank you mo! he did pull out correctly i have another question. what can cause the other small percentage to get pregnant? thank you

[Mo]

In general, when we're talking about birth control methods being ineffective, it's because those methods fail or are used improperly. It may help to know a bit more about how effectiveness rates are calculated! Our article Have a Little Faith in BC has some in-depth information on this process that you may find helpful, but here's the most important excerpt:

"Effectiveness rates of contraceptive methods are all figured based on one full year of use, not for each single incident of sex or use of a method. Perfect, or proper, use of a method means that in one year, that method was always used, and always used following the directions for that method to the letter, without any errors or mistakes. Perfect use of most methods in one full year is unusual, except for methods like the IUD or implant where a user does not have to do anything. Typical use means that in one year, sometimes a method has not been used according to the directions, or was not always used. Typical use is called that because that is most typically how methods are used in a full year, since people aren't perfect, and most often, in a year, will tend to make a mistake now and then with a method."