Understanding condom failure

[bgrace20]

Hi there,
I'm worried because my period is a couple of days late, and whenever I get worried I come to this site and read articles to make me feel better. However, I read an answer to someone's question that scared me: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advic ... ondom_does. Me and my boyfriend were having sex, and he pulled out and was surprised to see that he had come in the condom because I guess he didn't really feel it. He was still hard when he pulled out. But that would mean that we kept having sex even after he had come, which according to that question above counts as improper condom use. So did that put me at a greater risk of pregnancy? I'm really worried now because I thought condom failure just meant the condom slipped off, broke, or wasn't used at all.

[Sam W]

Hi bgrace,

As you read in that piece, this may have decreased the overall effectiveness of the condom, although if he was still erect than the odds of seepage were fairly low. But there's know way for us to know because we weren't there to look at how tight the condom still was. At this point, if you're worried, you can either wait for your period to show or take a pregnancy test, if enough time has elapsed to do so.

[bgrace20]

We were using a new non latex condom and I was really worried about it breaking but I didn't anticipate this. The condom was still pretty tight when he pulled out, and he hadn't come a lot, he was surprised that he did at all. I'm on birth control and this is my placebo week. I'm just worried because my period almost always comes on Tuesday or Wednesday and now it's Thursday and still no signs of it.

Thanks for your help anyway. I appreciate it

[Sam W]

Hi bgrace,

If you're using the pill, then you still have full protection from that, even the condom was potentially compromised. And if your period is off by one or two days, that's pretty normal variation to have.

[Heather]

To be clear, the issue with ejaculating in a condom and continuing to have sex is that it makes it more likely to slip off or break. But if neither of those things happened, then there being ejaculate in it alone does NOT mean your condom was any less effective.

[bgrace20]

Ohhh okay thank you for clearing that up! That's much more in line with what I've been hearing.