Withdrawal

 

Out of 100 Women Using this Method
Typical Use: 19 Women Become Pregnant
Perfect Use: 4 Women Become Pregnant

 

Withdrawal is when the male withdraws his penis completely from the woman's vagina before he ejaculates (releases many sperm all at once). It is not a good method of contraception, since it is very difficult to prevent ejaculation in the vagina effectively. Withdrawal also does not work well because the fluid that escapes from the penis before ejaculation can contain sperm from a previous ejaculation.

 

If women use the withdrawal method every time they have sexual intercourse and do it perfectly every time, it is 96% effective. This means that if 100 women use the withdrawal method all the time and always do it perfectly (which is almost impossible), 4 women will become pregnant in a year.

 

Although it's obvious that the withdrawal method is most effective against pregnancy when it is used all the time and always used perfectly, perfect use hardly ever happens. The typical woman does not use the withdrawal method perfectly. If typical women use the withdrawal method, it is 81% effective. This means that if 100 women use the withdrawal method, but do not use it perfectly, at least 19 women will become pregnant in a year.

 

Withdrawal does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

 

 

Written by the Center for Young Women's Health Staff

 

Updated 5/12/2005

 

Related Information:

• Go back to the Contraception/Birth Control Menu
• Emergency Contraception
• Related Links

Looking for other health info? Check our A-to-Z Index. ©1999-2008 Center for Young Women's Health Children's Hospital Boston. All rights reserved. About Us Contact Us Disclaimer Privacy Policy Terms of Use Health Guides By Topic Health Guides A-to-Z Guías de la Salud A-a-Z   We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.