The truth about the pull-out method: Why it fails way more than you think

The added protection depends on which methods are used and how consistently they are used. No contraceptive method is completely effective, and withdrawal alone does not provide STI protection. Outside of the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, the withdrawal method does not possess any side effects or health risks as a means of birthcontrol. The withdrawal method isn’t as effective at preventing pregnancy as other forms of birth control. Also known as withdrawal, coitus interruptus, and the retreat method, the premise behind pulling out is that semen doesn’t enter the vagina, and therefore pregnancy can’t occur.

• You should have three normal, regular periods before using fertility awareness methods, and this is unlikely to happen in the first six months after giving birth if you are breastfeeding.
• Vasectomy and sterilisation are surgical procedures that provide permanent, effective contraception.
• Licensed physicians specializing in obstetrics, gynecology, and family planning with expertise in contraceptive counseling.
• If you really wish to avoid pregnancy, pulling out may not be the best strategy.

What Is Withdrawal?

It also means that even with perfect withdrawal, some pregnancy risk exists. Several factors influence how effective the withdrawal method is for a particular couple. Experience matters significantly – couples who have used this method for years typically develop better timing and communication. Age can also play a role, as younger men may have more difficulty predicting ejaculation.

How to Use the Withdrawal Method Correctly

After the person with a penis pulls out, they can still ejaculate, it just needs to be away from their partner’s vagina and vulva. If you want to stop hormonal contraception before 55, you will need to use a non-hormonal contraception method until menopause is confirmed. The copper IUD, implant, progestogen-only pill and LNG IUD (hormonal coil) can generally be used all the way to menopause. Menopause is when periods stop, and there is no chance at all of pregnancy. Individual factors such as age, smoking and BMI, along with medications, medical history and family history, need to be considered when choosing a contraception method. Depending on your risk factors, the injection may also be suitable straight away.

A substantial minority of individuals has used it recently, and many appear to be using it as a backup or secondary method. If dual use were more widespread, it could help reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy. Similarly, our study suggests that some people who use withdrawal may be more versus less vigilant about pregnancy prevention. We found that withdrawal use in conjunction with other methods was more common among younger women, those in dating relationships and those more strongly motivated to avoid pregnancy. One potential interpretation of these associations is people are more likely to “double up” when the perceived costs of an unintended pregnancy are particularly consequential. To further understand how withdrawal is used in combination with other methods, we examined patterns and correlates of multiple method use among withdrawal users (Table 4).

Withdrawal was reported by a substantial minority of women using highly effective methods, including 13% of LARC users and 28% of pill users. Among women at risk of unintended pregnancy, 13% reported that withdrawal was More details the most effective method used in the last 30 days, but 33% had used withdrawal at least once. Most women who used withdrawal had also used a hormonal or long-acting method (13% of the sample) or condoms (11%) in the last 30 days, and a minority reported using only withdrawal (12%). Younger women, women in dating relationships and women strongly motivated to avoid pregnancy had some of the highest levels of “dual” use of withdrawal with condoms or highly effective methods. That means that, on average, four out of every 100 people who use withdrawal correctly every time they have sex will get pregnant within a year.

The effectiveness of withdrawal depends on the willingness and ability of the partners to use withdrawal with every act of intercourse. The second key finding is that the majority of women and couples in our sample using withdrawal had also used another method in the last 30 days. Most women who were using highly effective methods reported that withdrawal was used at the same time, suggesting that many were “doubly protected” from the risk of pregnancy. It may also be possible that male partners were unaware of women’s use of hormonal contraception or were using withdrawal out of personal preference for their own reassurance 13;18. The pull out method is better than no birth control at all if you’re trying to prevent pregnancy.

There’s a one in five chance you’ll become pregnant if you’re not pairing the pull-out method with a more effective form of contraception. Weigh the pros and cons of using the pull out method against other birth control methods with a healthcare provider. Withdrawal, also known as pulling out or coitus interruptus, is about as effective as condoms at preventing pregnancy. Still, withdrawal is often perceived to be ineffective at preventing pregnancy 2;3 and, perhaps for this reason, only a small proportion of couples appear to rely on it. Data from the 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) indicate that while more than half of women (59%) had ever used withdrawal only 3% were currently using it 4.

Similarly, the current study measures any use of withdrawal in the last 30 days, and women who had sex multiple times but only used withdrawal once would also be at increased risk. Any use of withdrawal was most common among the youngest women, and use decreased with age. However, while 41% of women age 18–24 used withdrawal, only 10% relied solely on this method. More commonly, young adults used withdrawal with condoms (17%) or highly effective methods (21%). Any use of withdrawal, as well as use with highly effective methods, was highest among women who were in a dating relationship, and only 11% relied only on withdrawal.

What Should You Do if the Pull-Out Method Fails?

And everyone’s different—so what you experience may not be the same as what your friend experiences. Well-researched answers to the questions people actually ask. Every guide is built from primary sources and reviewed by a subject-matter contributor. This article was reviewed by a qualified health professional for medical accuracy and to make sure the guidance reflects current clinical understanding. Reviewers check claims against the cited sources and flag anything that needs correcting before UK casino bonuses publication; they do not receive compensation tied to the article’s performance. There is more information about HRT on our perimenopause and menopause page.

Complete guide to all contraceptive methods, effectiveness rates, and how to choose the right option for you. Understanding why the withdrawal method fails so frequently requires examining the biological, psychological, and practical factors involved in its use. This fundamental reliance on human behavior under challenging conditions is the primary source of its unreliability. Multiple studies have found that pre-ejaculatory fluid can contain sperm in some men, with estimates ranging from 16% to 41% of men having detectable sperm in their pre-ejaculate.

Since the 2022 Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, demand for vasectomies has nearly doubled, he says. Women seeking contraception can use Online Doctor to order the pill, patch, or ring. We prescribe combined, mini, and low dose varieties of the pill. However, there might be some circumstances where withdrawal suits you and your sexual partner. For instance, you may be happy to try it if you’re in a committed relationship and open to the idea of having children together. It does not have any effects on either the male or female reproductive function.

Pulling out takes self-control, self-awareness, and practice, especially if you are new to having vaginal sex. Your partner needs to be able to reliably predict when he is going to ejaculate. If you and your partner are new to using withdrawal, it can be helpful to use a condom while you are learning. Some patients tell me they like this method because it gives both partners a chance to be involved in family planning. But as we’ll see, pulling out requires quite a bit of responsibility, trust, and practice.

You may want to use spermicide or another method along with pulling out to make it more effective. You may also want to have some emergency contraception pills on hand in case the pull-out method doesn’t work as planned. You don’t need to see a provider to start or stop using the pull-out method. But if you do stop using it and you don’t want to be pregnant, make sure you have another method of birth control in place. Trans and non-binary people who were assigned female at birth can get pregnant if sperm can meet egg, that is, if someone with a womb and ovaries is having penetrative sex with someone who produces sperm. The combined pill, the patch and the vaginal ring are best for controlling when periods come, since these contain the hormone oestrogen.