Withdrawal method almost as effective as condoms?

[archerships]

So reproductive experts were taken aback by a paper in the June issue of Contraception magazine. Based on an analysis of studies, the paper pronounced withdrawal “almost as effective as the male condom — at least when it comes to pregnancy prevention.”

“If the male partner withdraws before ejaculation every time a couple has vaginal intercourse, about 4 percent of couples will become pregnant over the course of a year,” the authors write.

Via Withdrawal Finds An Ally.

Original: craschworks - comments

Comments

Just as Effective

[pasquin.livejournal.com]

Of course, you also have to withdraw before the AIDS virus can swim upstream.

Re: Just as Effective

[crasch.livejournal.com]

I think most people are smart enough to realize that "just as effective" refers just to pregnancy prevention.

Re: Just as Effective

[9thmoon.livejournal.com]

What an optimist you are!

Re: Just as Effective

[crasch.livejournal.com]

Note the qualifier "most". :)

Re: Just as Effective

[ersigh.livejournal.com]

Sounds like wishful thinking. ;) I've have met way too many people that are well educated and seemingly intelligent who dismiss the threat of STDs. Thinking beyond the here and now is difficult for many.

Re: Just as Effective

[pasquin.livejournal.com]

A health care pro, I knew personally, claimed that people are often 'safe' the first time with a new partner. The problem is they would relax their guard because of on-going familiarity, not test results. "He looked clean" was the often refrain.

Re: Just as Effective

[ersigh.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I expect tests and condoms. Though the last person I slept with was clean according to the tests but even with condoms I still managed to get an aggressive case of HPV (which I have cleared but not before dealing with biopsies and all that fun stuff). I've been rather put off from that aspect of being human for quite awhile since that experience.

Re: Just as Effective

[pasquin.livejournal.com]

Can't say that wouldn't put me off it, as well.

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

there's no real way to test for asymptomatic HPV, esp. in guys

[ersigh.livejournal.com]

Hence the reason I am put off.

Re: Just as Effective

[pasquin.livejournal.com]

*goes to ask the pope*

[nasu-dengaku.livejournal.com]

Looking at TFA, it's comparing withdrawal *with perfect performance* vs condoms whether used properly or not. So it's not really a fair comparison. Plus, withdrawal does not protect against STDs. It also involves stopping at just the most pleasurable moment.

No thanks, I'll stick with condoms.

Also, I love this quote, which is unusually randy for the NYT "she and her co-authors were motivated to write the paper because it seemed to them the pullout method was getting short shrift."

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

What is "TFA"? It looked to me like they compared both ways. Am I misreading? In the paper itself, the wording is "If the male partner withdraws before ejaculation every time a couple has vaginal intercourse, about 4% of couples will become pregnant over the course of a year [2]. However, more realistic estimates of typical use indicate that about 18% of couples will become pregnant in a year using withdrawal [3]. These rates are only slightly less effective than male condoms, which have perfect- and typical-use failure rates of 2% and 17%, respectively [3]."

That said, I wouldn't rely on either method by itself because I don't like those "typical use" rates.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

"TFA" == "The Fine Article" (Although 'Fine' is sometimes substituted with a less delicate word beginning with F.)

[nasu-dengaku.livejournal.com]

I did misread -- you're right.

Since you don't rely on either method by itself, what do you tend to do? With the proper info, I'm sure you & your lover could personally do way better than the typical rates.

My personal experience with condoms seems to align closer to 2% than 17%. And 2% is quite good -- that's an average of a few decades of sex per unintended pregnancy.

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

Condoms + diaphragm with spermicide. We're both pretty anal and probably would've been close to perfect use rates with just one or the other, but I'm too paranoid. :) We've thrown out a lot of condoms because we started to put them on inside out.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, why don't you use an IUD? It's typical use failure rate (0.8%) seems comparable to your current method (0.29%, according to my calculations (10% * 10% * 29%)).

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

Because they can't prove that it works by disabling sperm rather than preventing implantation, and I want to prevent conception. Just my personal preference.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

Ah thanks. Now that you say that, I think we discussed something very similar in the past.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

As a trainer, I remain amazed that we do not teach proper condom use in school. (A banana is a useful prop for this purpose.)

There is a very simple error that is itself a chunk of the typical-use failure rate.

When someone puts a condom on a man, they need to be certain that the condom is ready to roll down the sides of the penis. If the condom is put on "upside down," it must be immediately discarded!

Otherwise the pre-ejaculate, which has been shown to be potentially sperm-bearing and is certainly STD bearing, is smeared on the working tip of the condom that will come near or into contact with the cervix.

Other issues involve quality control issues, sizing, inappropriate lubricants (avoid oil based lubricants and nonoxynol 9 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonoxynol-9)!) and vigorous intercourse damaging the condom. It is possible to buy sized condoms. Consumer Reports has done condom studies with ratings.

A pre-ejaculation integrity check is also of value.

Good plan for monogomous long-term partner sex

[adam--selene.livejournal.com]

Being married I guess I look at this report from an entirely different perspective.

If your wife or long-term partner is fertile, and doesn't want to take birth control pills, this seems like a very reasonable method.

Going back to condoms certainly is not pleasurable, especially after getting accustomed to not using them with your partner.

As for stopping at the most pleasurable moment, try stopping and then reaching that moment again inside her mouth, mmmmm..... that's just ecstasy. I rather wish my wife were still fertile.

Re: Good plan for monogomous long-term partner sex

[adam--selene.livejournal.com]

I should add that I think a Vasectomy is the Better plan for monogomous long-term partner sex if you really don't want kids ever.