Scarleteen

Hello! Why is there a less risk of pregnancy if you use the withdrawal method and the condom compared to just ejaculating with the condom? Doesn't the condom catch all of the fluids and keep it contained in there anyway?

Hi xmetalgirl,

You can read about the buddy systems and the reasons for it here: The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method
But the short answer is that, when intercourse is involved, no method of birth control offers 100% protection (although many, when used correctly, offer incredibly high levels). So, adding two methods together generally brings you as close to 100% protected as possible.

Also, just to come at this another way, combining methods is about covering bases if and when one fails.

Effectiveness rates for combined methods when neither fails are theoretical and statistical versus actual. Effectiveness rates for any method are also figured for one year of use, not perm use, with the exception of Plan B.

So hmmm. Basically it means that if you do perfect use with condoms and it breaks or slips and you do the withdrawal method it is less of a risk compared to no withdrawal and ejaculating in the condom that broke or slipped? Is that correct? Like without withdrawal and perfect use of condoms is still very, very good but if it broke or slipped its more of a risk then if you do withdrawal?

Yep, you got it. If and when one method fails and you are not using any other method, there is no backup. But if a method fails, or is only used typically, not perfectly, and you are using another method, then that backup method is there to provide what effectiveness it does.