Scarleteen

Hi! I am 20 years old, me and my girlfriend have a long-distance relatioship and we see each other like 3 weekends a month mostly. We're sexually active, but we're very scared about getting pregnant. We use only condoms, and I'm extra careful with them. We avoid having sex during fertile days. My question is, everytime time we are together we have sex about 2-3 times, with an average of 1 hour interval. We change condoms obviously. Does that increase the risk of pregnancy? Like the penis could be "dirty" and the next time we have sex it could somehow get in contact with her genitalia? Or I am overthinking this too much? =( Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

As long as you are using condoms for all genital contact, and using a new one each time you have sex, then you aren't going to have any contact between your penis and her genitals that could result in a risk of pregnancy. It doesn't matter if there's a little bit of semen on your penis from the previous time you had sex, because it's getting covered with a condom (and any sperm wouldn't be likely be viable anymore anyways). If you are both concerned about pregnancy risks, have you considered adding another method of birth control into the mix? Condoms are very effective when they're properly used, but two methods are better than one and doubling up might reduce your stress.

Thank you Karyn. Actually, we're using condoms and FAM, do you think we should add some other method?

That's ultimately up to you and how much you want to cut your risks. I suggest reading this article, seeing how FAM plus condoms compares to some other combinations, and deciding from there what you'd like to use: The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method

Thanks Sam W, I really appreciate your help. Since we have intercourse like twice a month, I don't know if a hormonal method is worth. She's a little bit scared about side-effects of pills, and because she saw some very rare cases of thrombosis, she's insecure about it. But as soon as we go to a doctor we will understand it better. Since I do my best to make it a "perfect use", I think 99% is a fair percentage for FAM + Condoms. But I'll check other methods with her soon. Thank you again! =)

Hi! To answer your question, in no way does having sex multiple times in the same increase the risk of a condom failure or anything, however if you're still stressed out about that, maybe consider discussing with your girlfriend a second birth control method, as in the pill or a vaginal ring, it would make everything less scary for you both

naturalway505 wrote:Hi! I am 20 years old, me and my girlfriend have a long-distance relatioship and we see each other like 3 weekends a month mostly. We're sexually active, but we're very scared about getting pregnant. We use only condoms, and I'm extra careful with them. We avoid having sex during fertile days. My question is, everytime time we are together we have sex about 2-3 times, with an average of 1 hour interval. We change condoms obviously. Does that increase the risk of pregnancy? Like the penis could be "dirty" and the next time we have sex it could somehow get in contact with her genitalia? Or I am overthinking this too much? =( Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

Just FYI, FAM, done properly, and used with condoms in the way you are (where you are simply totally abstaining during most fertile times) really is an excellent method.

It might also help to know that used properly, condoms have a very low failure rate. Only around one in every 2,000 condoms has been found to break with proper use in sound study.

littlebutterfly
Thank yoooou! =3 Since it's my first serious relationship, and I'm in the middle of college it is always scary haha' But I'll make sure to look into other methods so I can sleep relaxed every night haha'
Thank you for your help! =)

Heather wrote:Just FYI, FAM, done properly, and used with condoms in the way you are (where you are simply totally abstaining during most fertile times) really is an excellent method.

It might also help to know that used properly, condoms have a very low failure rate. Only around one in every 2,000 condoms has been found to break with proper use in sound study.

That's really nice to hear. When you're really concerned about pregnancy, every % counts haha' But that really made me feel more calm about it. I try to have a veeeery perfect use with condoms. And never broke or slipped. Hope it keeps going like this haha' Thanks Heather! =3 Have a nice weekeeend. =)