Move Over Condoms – There’s A New Birth Control In Town

June 2, 2009 12:00 pm     Posted in Body, Sex  Melissa - GW g+ page

condomsTrojan, Durex, Lifestyles…watch out!  A new study indicates that there is another method of birth control that may be almost as effective as condoms in preventing pregnancy.  The best part is, it doesn’t require any pill, patch, or plastic; doesn’t include side effects of weight gain or nausea; and there’s no wasted rip’n’roll time.


By Melissa

It’s withdrawing, or “pulling out” as it is often referred.

The study, by sex researcher Rachel K. Jones, indicates that “if the male partner withdraws before ejaculation every time a couple has vaginal intercourse, about 4 % of the couples will become pregnant over the course of a year.”  With an 18% failure rate, the pull-out method comes pretty close to matching up with that of the condom’s 17% failure rate.

Whaaaa?  Haven’t we been taught forever that pulling out is the worst method of birth control? Haven’t we been giving up on the pleasure of condomless sex because it’s almost guaranteed that pulling out will leave us preggers? And, sidenote, condoms have a 17% failure rate? Why did no one tell me?!

This news is huge and sure to change some people’s decisions in the bedroom. Will people abandon the long loved (or loathed-but-dealt-with-because-having-a-baby-is-a-whole-lot-worse-than-a-little-less-sensitivity) latex that’s legacy as one of the most popular methods of contraception has lasted for over 400 years? It’s making me think a little bit…

But then again, would anyone be able to truly enjoy themselves without the latex barrier to protect them? I mean, this method may seem super awesome, but what about STDs?  Nowadays, diseases run rampant throughout college campuses, and “pulling out” can’t guarantee protection from those gross, and often deadly infections.  And who says the guy is even withdrawing at the right moment?  I don’t trust guys to order me the right drink at the bar (I’m picky…), so how can I trust them to do this right? If they wait even a second too long, it could mean a baby in my belly.

How comfortable are you depending on this method for birth control?  Does this study change your attitude about protection?

32 Comments on "Move Over Condoms – There’s A New Birth Control In Town"

  1. Jenna says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 20097:13 am 

    Not at all. I have two friends that have become pregnant because their boyfriends didn't want to use condoms. One had an abortion and the other had a baby.

    Condoms have a 17% failure rate partly because of incorrect use (putting them on wrong), so as long as you know how to do that right, you're a lot better off. There's also a chance they might break, but if this happens, you know as soon as the sex is over, and you can get Plan B before fertilization can happen, unlike with pulling out, where you usually find out something went wrong when you miss your period.

    Also consider that precum can get you pregnant.

  2. AnonyMiss says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 20097:27 am 

    This was a shock to me too, to be sure. Every serious article I've read about it only reccomends the use of withdrawl as your primary method of birth control if you're with a committed partner in a monogamous relationship, due to the crazy-increased risk of STDs if you're not using a latex barrier.

  3. Sarah says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 20097:35 am 

    Jenna–

    If you read more about the study that Melissa is referring to, you'll find that precum can only get you pregnant if the man has already ejaculated once before in the last few hours. If this is the case, the man has only to pee to clear the urethra of semen.

    Also, maybe you just failed to mention this, but perhaps your girlfriends got preggers because their men DIDN'T pull out.

    ____________________________________________

    Anyways…I think this is a relatively effective study that has changed my ideas of birth control. If you know for sure that your partner has been tested and is clear of STD's, you don't have to worry about contracting them. I think the pull-out method should only be used for committed couples that are aware of the risks, but know they're not sleeping with other people. You should probably also trust the guy you're with to know how soon he should pull out.

    For example, I dated a guy for 2+ years and we never used protection; he always used the pull-out method. I wasn't even on birth control, and I never missed a period. However, I started dating another guy later, got on birth control, and ended up having a miscarriage (I had been pregnant for about 2 months without my knowledge).

    Of course, most of these situations are circumstantial, but I don't think you should discount a study just because you can't get past the lessons that have been ingrained in your head since sex ed. (despite the fact that they may have been false all along!).

  4. Melissa says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 20099:49 am 

    Do you really think you should let one study change the way you think about birth control? There are always studies that can find what people want to hear, but you'd really have to wait until more have been done.

    As a nurse, I can't even tell you the amount of people that DO get pregnant using the pull out method. Could they be lying? I suppose so. But why risk it?

  5. Sam says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 200910:59 am 

    My boyfriend and I use this method. I'm also on birth control. However, we've been with each other for a while and would accept pregnancy just fine..but yeah, it's been working for us for a while.

  6. Lauren says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 200911:03 am 

    You use this method…but you're also on birth control, so it's not the same thing as JUST using the pull out method.

  7. Ashley says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 200912:38 pm 

    I'll stick with the 99% effective pill! XD But..nah. I agree. I wouldn't want to trust a dude to get it right every time. I love ya mens! But this is freakin childbirth we're talkin

  8. Hotgirls says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 20092:57 pm 

    Go to http://www.myspacemobi.com

  9. Jen says:
    Wed, 3rd Jun 20094:49 am 

    I used this method effectively for 2 years. No pregnancy, no abortion. If done correctly and in a 100% monogamous relationship, I would say this is a safe and effective method of birth control. Of course, the first time you try it with your man, you're always going to be a little nervous because you don't know what his timing is like.

  10. Iheartwater says:
    Wed, 3rd Jun 20096:29 am 

    Who did this study? A college dude? Because only college boys would stand by this. This is bullpoop. Have I done this before? of course! However, I am on birth control…why I didnt think about STDs is entirely another issue. Anyone who is not on birth control and uses this method must be drunk. Sober girls can't be stupid enough to do this..and if they are, god save the baby that comes from that!

  11. Ace says:
    Wed, 3rd Jun 20097:22 am 

    Oh god I hate condoms. They smell, they feel funny, they get stuck, there's the awkward pause, they make my vag weirdly sticky, they look funny, you have to buy them for something that is otherwise free, guys make that face when you insist on one. Like I said, I hate condoms, loathe them, they freak me out. But not as much as babies. Go condoms, and the pill.

  12. R says:
    Wed, 3rd Jun 200910:21 am 

    I gotta say this is the worst advice ever. The pull out method is only good as a SECOND form of birth control (e.g. if the girl is also on the pill, etc.) and does NOT protect you from STDs (so you better only be using this method in a committed relationship in which you both know if you're "clean" or not). Also, condoms are 98% effective if used correctly. It's 17% effective overall because dumbass people don't know how to use them right (and there is an almost 0% chance of them breaking if they're used right). And I think the way Ace said it is great:) Babies freak me out more than any form of birth control could.

  13. ellear says:
    Wed, 3rd Jun 20091:50 pm 

    You ask how comfortable I am depending on this method for birth control? Not comfortable at all! This is the worst advice ever. Pregnancy isn't the only concern with sex and seems like sometimes that seems to be more of a focus than the numerous STDs that are transmitted by unprotected sex every day.

    The only way I would depend on this method for birth is if it were to serve as a backup method meaning that as a female I was also taking another form or birth control (oral, shot, etc) and my partner and I had been together in a monogamous relationship. Even then, the pull out method is not a reliable source of birth control or STD prevention.

    Here's to hoping this doesn't catch on…

  14. Kelly says:
    Thu, 4th Jun 20098:20 am 

    I think it just depends on the guy's ability to pull out. My boyfriend and I are in a monogamous relationship and have effectively used this method for more than two years. I am not on birth control pills. Not once have I missed a period. So as far as I'm concerned, this is a pretty reliable method for me. I know people who have used condoms/the pill and gotten pregnant before.

  15. WallpaperManiac says:
    Thu, 4th Jun 20092:14 pm 

    I do the pull-out only whilst in a monogamous relationship with a woman and I know what "conditions" she may have. Condoms don't do shit to protect against herpes or warts. But when I'm having sex outside of a relationship, condoms for several obvious reasons.

  16. Jennifer says:
    Sat, 6th Jun 20091:04 pm 

    oh god, i thought you were actually being serious in the beginning.

  17. M says:
    Sat, 6th Jun 20095:05 pm 

    This doesn't take into account the failure rate of wearing a condom AND pulling out, which is I'm sure MUCH lower when combined.

  18. Jess says:
    Sat, 6th Jun 20096:03 pm 

    It's pretty interesting studies like this come out when teen pregnancies are rising. I'm not sure I really believe the validity in it.

  19. Bubba says:
    Sat, 6th Jun 20096:21 pm 

    jus blows dem loads in dem dirty puussyy holes

  20. robscott2007 says:
    Sun, 7th Jun 20098:29 am 

    Don't be stupid. This is one of the most irresponsible things I have ever read. People should not get the impression that withdrawal is a sensible method of birth control in this day and age. I know a number of real world examples where this has gone wrong terribly, in life-ruining way. Wear a condom AND take the pill. Don't rely on pulling out, because chances are, sooner or later, you won't do it in time. Or, if you're female, the guy won't tell you he didn't and its more than just "oops I'm pregnant" – that small accident can ruin your life.

    And don't even get me started on STDs.

    Perhaps the headline here is the worst crime against sense, however: move over condoms? Don't make me laugh. Should have been "hey, ever thought about catching an STI AND experiencing unwanted pregnancy at the same time? Now you can!" admitedly, not quite as snappy; but closer to the truth.

  21. Mal says:
    Mon, 8th Jun 200912:02 pm 

    Huh. I think what’s dumb is when people get on here and say what you should and shouldn’t do. If people wanna use the “pull out” method or whatever they feel comfortable with, then go for it!

  22. Talia says:
    Sat, 13th Jun 20094:46 am 

    I agree with the girl above me. If it works for you, why not do it? If something goes wrong, your fault. Follow your own instinct and take responsibility for anything that happens.

    Although I must say i'm in a comitted relationship and have been using this method for months and months. And no babies here :)

  23. Twin XL http://www.t says:
    Sun, 14th Jun 200912:15 pm 

    Wow. Interesting article. Thanks

  24. Squirt says:
    Wed, 17th Jun 20096:15 am 

    If more women swallowed, this probably wouldn't be a problem. Yeah.

  25. Erica says:
    Thu, 18th Jun 20098:34 pm 

    I would never rely on pulling out alone. It'd make me too nervous to wait for my period every month considering babies are a long way into my future if at all.

    But more than that, I'd hate to feel the guy pull out right when he's about to have his orgasm. I like the feeling of still being connected while he feels that, and I feel like if he pulled out I'd be gipped of a complete ending.

  26. Lacey says:
    Tue, 23rd Jun 20098:10 am 

    I believe this is a great method, actually. This is the method that my husband and I use, and we've had no problems for over a year. The thing that most people don't realize though is that it is important to chart during your cycle to help predict the day of ovulation. If you do it faithfully, then you know when you shouldn't have sex. Any other time, when you are NOT ovulating, the pull-out is great.

    The biggest problem people (even when they are charting) is that they don't want to be patient, or they get "caught up in the moment." That's why it isn't effective. Just like condoms have a 17% failure rate because people don't know what they are doing, this also has the same failure rate ONLY because people don't chart.

    Ofcourse, I would only suggest this in marriage and with someone who has been tested for disease. But it really does work if you choose to do it around your ovulation time!

  27. Juanito says:
    Fri, 21st Aug 200912:46 pm 

    My ex & I were together for a year & a half. We started using the withdrawal method after a year. Before that we used condoms & she was on the pill, then she stopped taking the pill & we just used the withdrawal method. It worked fine for us. She never got pregnant. I wouldn’t recommend it for casual sex of course – but who would? The article isn’t recommending it for non-committed relationships either.

  28. precum says:
    Wed, 2nd Sep 20097:11 am 

    just one word

    precum

    the idiot who made this study has to be somewhat Cathoölic and against birthcontroll

    if u pull out daily

    in 9 month she'll push out a baby

  29. jon says:
    Tue, 16th Mar 20109:17 am 

    i have to say i agree with bubba, just blow dem loads in dem dirty pussy holes

  30. Emily says:
    Sun, 9th May 201012:29 pm 

    well, me and my boy used to pull out method yesterday. i'm worred as hellll. i have no clue on what to doo

  31. criolle johnny says:
    Sun, 9th May 20101:40 pm 

    I seem to recall a word for people who use this method … PARENTS!

Tell us what you're thinking...