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Studies have found that 12 percent of women who use the pull-out method as birth control do not use any other form of birth control and that the majority of sexually active women have used the pull-out method at some point in their lives. Planned Parenthood’s take on the matter is that the pull-out method isn’t as effective as other forms of birth control, but is better than nothing. With that in mind, when has “better than nothing” been an acceptable standard for really anything? Better than nothing is a nice way of saying “you can absolutely do better.” If someone called the food you made better than nothing, you’d be insulted. If someone said the safety precautions in place on an airplane were better than nothing, you’d be terrified. And yet, many women are out there using a form of birth control that’s just that – better than nothing.
One can understand some of the logic behind using this method. Holistically-minded individuals probably don’t want to pump their bodies full of hormones through other forms of birth control, like the pill or shot. Then there is all the fear around IUDs right now following the Mirena scandal and reports that their device caused “organ perforations.” You shudder at the thought. Condoms can decrease sensitivity and pleasure. And some forms just require a great memory – taking the pill every day requires little calendar reminders and alarms. What about the shot? That can be even harder to remember because it’s not a daily thing. So, you can see why some people prefer going the simple route with the pull-out method. Chances are though, they don’t know everything about it. Here are things you didn’t know about the pull-out method.
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There is sperm in pre-ejaculation fluid
The idea behind the pull-out method is that the man will pull out just before releasing any bodily fluids. The problem is that ejaculation is not the only time during intercourse when a man releases bodily fluids. Don’t forget about pre-ejaculation fluids. While there may not be as much, some fluid does contain sperm. And of those, a good amount release sperm that is motile, meaning it’s ready to find its way up the cervix, into the uterus, and up those fallopian tubes. So just because your partner pulls out before he climaxes doesn’t mean he hasn’t released any baby-making stuff before that.
