Scarleteen

My partner and I can't use any hormonal type birth control for health reasons and she's not ready to get an IUD. We've been using condoms and also monitoring her cycle to abstain or be more careful on the most likely fertile days.

What we both agreed we'd be comfortable with is using a condom but putting it on after we've already started having sex so we're able to enjoy it before using a condom to be safe with ejaculation. We start and when I get close to finishing I stop, put on a condom, and then finish. We're in a committed relationship with no STI risk or considerations, only looking for pregnancy prevention. Could someone give me an educated view on pregnancy risk using a condom like we are?

Notes: Always using a new condom with proper application, never going multiple rounds (aka having sex then going again without a condom after ejaculating using a condom). Always washing/urinating/waiting 12+ hours in-between having sex to make sure no sperm was left in urethra from previous sex.

I know imperfect practice of this is risky, but in a mature adult relationship what are the actual risks?

Hello there, Olaloa. Welcome to Scarleteen.

Every time there's a direct contact between genitals without any kind of barrier such as a condom, there is a pregnancy risk. If there is NO ejaculation, the risk lowers but still remains. If you are interested in reading about efficiency rates, this practice would count as withdrawal, and you can find more information in here: http://www.scarleteen.com/birth_control ... withdrawal

So, what about you start by reading this link, and if you need more info we can take it from there.

Just to be clear, using condoms the way that you are would only give you typical use effectiveness at best: that's 85% effectiveness at a maximum. For condoms to be as effective as they can be - 98% effective in a year of proper use - they have to be worn for all direct genital contact from start to finish, not put on after that contact has already begun, or removed before that contact is finished. The same goes for condoms being able to provide effective STI protection, just as a thing to know, and how old or mature someone or their relationship is has no bearing on any of this.