Withdrawal (Pull Out Method)

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How effective is pulling out?

If you do it correctly, pulling out is a pretty effective way of preventing pregnancy. But it can be hard to do it the right way every time. Pulling out also doesn’t protect against STDs, so using a condom is a good idea – both to help prevent STDs, and to add extra pregnancy prevention.

How effective is the pull out method?

The better you are about using the pull out method correctly — keeping any ejaculation (cum) away from the vulva and vagina every single time you have sex — the better it will work to prevent pregnancy. For every 100 people who use the pull out method perfectly, 4 will get pregnant.

But pulling out can be difficult to do perfectly. So in real life, about 22 out of 100 people who use withdrawal get pregnant every year — that’s about 1 in 5.

The reality is withdrawal isn’t as effective as other types of birth control, but it’s definitely better than not using anything at all. And pulling out can be easily combined with other methods to give you extra pregnancy preventing power. Using withdrawal AND condoms together, for example, gives you pretty excellent protection against pregnancy.

If you use withdrawal for birth control, it’s a good idea to keep emergency contraception (aka the morning-after pill) around, just in case semen (cum) gets in or near your vagina. Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy for up to 5 days after unprotected sex.

Want to use a more effective form of birth control? Check out the IUD and the implant. They’re the most effective kinds of birth control.

Does pulling out always work? Can I still get pregnant? | Planned Parenthood Video
Does pulling out always work? Can I still get pregnant? | Planned Parenthood Video

More questions from patients:

There’s no way to know your exact chances of pregnancy in a particular situation. What we do know is that withdrawal works about 78% of the time overall. But the odds of pregnancy are always higher during the 5 days leading up to, and during, ovulation — these are called fertile days.

If no semen gets on your vulva or in your vagina , pregnancy can’t happen — whether or not you’re ovulating. But it’s sometimes hard for people to know if they pulled out completely before any semen (cum) came out. And some people may also have a tiny bit of sperm in their pre-cum . If sperm gets in your vagina during your fertile days, pregnancy is more likely to happen.

It’s also hard to know for sure exactly when you ovulate, even if you’re tracking your cycle. Many people’s cycles change from month to month. And lots of things (like stress or illness) can mess with your cycle and change the timing of ovulation.

The bottom line is, there are lots of different factors that can affect your chances of getting pregnant. If you’re really worried about preventing pregnancy, you might want to look into methods of birth control that are more effective than pulling out (like IUDs, the implant, the shot, or the pill). You can also use condoms along with pulling out — that way you’ll still be protected from pregnancy even if your partner doesn’t pull out in time (and you’ll be protected from STDs, too).

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Withdrawal (Pull Out Method)

Pulling out (also known as withdrawal) is a way to prevent pregnancy by keeping semen away from the vagina. Withdrawal works best when you use another birth control method with it, like a condom.

What’s the withdrawal method (pulling out)?

Pulling out is exactly what it sounds like: pulling the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation (aka cumming). If semen (cum) gets in your vagina, you can get pregnant. So ejaculating away from a vulva or vagina prevents pregnancy. But you have to be sure to pull out before any semen comes out, every single time you have vaginal sex, in order for it to work.

Does pulling out protect against STDs?

No. While withdrawal can prevent pregnancy, it doesn’t protect you against STDs. Some STDs, like genital warts and herpes, are spread through skin-to-skin contact. And STDs like chlamydia, syphilis, or gonorrhea can be carried in precum . So if you’re going to have sex, the best way to prevent STDs is by using condoms.

How can I make the pull out method work best?

For withdrawal to work as well as possible, you must do it right every single time. Always. So always pull out BEFORE ejaculation, and always make sure to ejaculate (cum) away from your partner’s genitals. This is important because pregnancy can happen if even a little bit of semen gets in the vagina.

The best way to make the pull out method effective is to use it with another type of birth control (like the ring, pill, or condoms). This way, if there’s a slip up, you’re still protected.

Condoms are a great method to use with pulling out. Not only will they prevent pregnancy in case you don’t pull out in time, but condoms are the only way to stop the spread of STDs during sex. You can also practice withdrawal while using condoms to learn how to pull out in time.

Accidents happen. So if you use withdrawal for birth control, think about keeping emergency contraception (aka the morning-after pill) in your medicine cabinet, just in case ejaculate (cum) gets in or near your vagina. Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy for up to 5 days after unprotected sex. The best way to make the pull out method effective is to use it with another type of birth control (like the ring, pill, or condoms). This way, if there’s a slip up, you’re still protected.

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