When it comes to preventing pregnancy, some couples rely on the withdrawal method, but is it really effective? There are many myths out there when it comes to sex, stemming from the taboo that surrounds the whole topic. Unfortunately, this results in some pretty alarming misconceptions (no pun intended) surrounding human biology. You might be surprised by how little some people know about their own bodies, but hopefully this article will shed some light on one of the most common contraceptive practices: the withdrawal method.
What is the withdrawal method?
First, let’s start with the basics. As the name implies, this method of contraception relies on the penetrating partner removing their penis from the receiving partner’s vagina before ejaculation. The key to the method is to avoid sperm physically reaching the egg, so it’s vital for the penetrating partner to remove their penis before ejaculation begins. If sperm cannot reach the egg, fertilization cannot occur. In this way, withdrawing could be seen as a type of contraception as it is intended to prevent pregnancy and involves taking action to avoid it.
What are the pros of the withdrawal method?
The main benefit of the withdrawal method is that it can be used by anyone, no matter their religious or philosophical beliefs. Some religions believe that medical contraception (the pill/spermicide) and barrier methods (condoms/cervical caps) go against a human’s purpose to procreate. The withdrawal method, on the other hand, is seen as acceptable by most religions as it is considered natural.
Meanwhile, pulling out, as it is sometimes known, is free and convenient. For people who can’t afford birth control, or in places where condoms aren’t free, it’s much cheaper to simply interrupt penetration before ejaculation. Additionally, there are no side effects like there are with birth control, and there is no requirement to see a doctor or get a prescription.
Ultimately, the average success rate of this method is 78%, so it’s technically more likely to work than not work, but we’ll explore this a little more below.
What are the cons of the withdrawal method?
Unfortunately, there are far more cons to pulling out, so it’s important to understand them all. Here’s a breakdown of them:
Following on from the pro above, withdrawing is only 78% effective if done perfectly. If not done perfectly, the effectiveness drops dramatically, whilst even if done perfectly, there is still a 22% chance of conception. This means that, out of 100 women, 22 would still get pregnant. To put this another way, if you have sex 100 times over the course of a year (that’s only about twice a week), you’ll more than likely end up pregnant, even when performed perfectly. In comparison, condoms are around 98% effective, and almost 100% effective when combined with the pill.
Speaking of perfection, it’s incredibly difficult to perform the withdrawal method perfectly. Many men struggle to pull out in time before ejaculating, whilst it’s also possible for a man to start ejaculating before orgasm. This means that, if the man is waiting for orgasm, they may have already ejaculated a certain amount of semen before they pull out.
Even if the penetrating partner does pull out before ejaculation, it’s important to remember that pre-ejaculate can contain live sperm. Pre-ejaculate can be inserted into a vagina during sex, so any live sperm will be able to find its way to any eggs in the uterus. Similarly, any semen on the woman’s skin surrounding her vagina can find its way in, so it’s important not to ejaculate anywhere near the vagina if pregnancy is to be avoided.
Another major con is this method is the receiving partner has no control at all. They are totally reliant on the penetrating partner doing everything perfectly, so if the penetrating partner ejaculates inside the vagina or on the vulva, there is nothing the receiving partner can do.
Finally, withdrawal provides no protection against STIs/STDs. It’s still possible to contract HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, or syphilis, which is important to remember during casual sex when you don’t know who else your sexual partner has slept with.
Ultimately, the withdrawal method isn’t recommended as a form of contraception. Unless you don’t have sex very often, and you only have one sexual partner that you trust, it’s better to choose another method.
