The Ins and Outs of Withdrawal

The withdrawal method is probably the oldest birth control method known. The way it works is that the man withdraws his penis from the vagina before he ejaculates and does so away from the vagina to prevent semen from making its way inside. It may sound simple but don’t be fooled as this method of birth control takes a little more effort than it sounds.

Counting on Him

Using withdrawal to prevent pregnancy basically means giving full control of the matter to your partner. As you can imagine, this requires a whole lot of trust between the two of you to say the least. The man needs to be in tune with his body enough to know when to withdraw to avoid ejaculating inside or on the vagina and this takes some skill and control. Along with trusting that the man will not ejaculate inside, you also need to be certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is being faithful and is free of sexually transmitted diseases since this method doesn’t protect you from infection. Your comfort and certainty here are crucial if you’re going to rely on the withdrawal method.

Some Key Points

While no method of birth control is a hundred percent effective, choosing the best one requires that you have all the information you possibly can—good and bad—so that you can make the choice that makes the most sense for you.

•    The fail rate for the withdrawal method is approximately 19 percent.

•    'Pre-ejaculate' which comes from the penis when erect may also contain enough sperm to get you pregnant.

•    This method puts you at risk for STDs.

•    The withdrawal method is not recommended for those who suffer from premature ejaculation.

•    Having to pull out before ejaculating may prove less than arousing for both partners and can affect enjoyment on both parts.

•    This method is not recommended for teens, not only because of the risk of STDs but also because teen males do not have the control or experience needed to withdraw correctly.

Choosing to use withdrawal as your method of birth control is a choice that only you can make. Regardless of your age or relationship status, it’s important to remember that you need to be completely comfortable with this choice and shouldn’t allow someone else to sway your decision. To be blunt; going bareback may be most men’s preference, but this is your body and you need to take care of it.