"Pulling Out" As Safe as Condoms: Study
The "withdrawal" method is almost equally as safe as a good old Trojan
By CAITLIN MILLAT
Updated 4:15 PM EST, Thu, May 28, 2009
Guys everywhere -- we expect a thank you.
"Pulling out" during sex is almost equally as safe as using contraceptives like condoms, a new survey shows.
According to the study, published in the journal Contraception, about 4 percent of couples who use "pulling out" would get pregnant during the year, if the method is used correctly.
A more realistic estimation -- taking into account human error and misuse of the "pulling out" method -- placed that figure at about 18 percent.
Condom users tallied a similar 2 percent "perfect" and 17 percent "typical" rate -- almost identical numbers.
"Withdrawal is sometimes referred to as the contraceptive method that is 'better than nothing.'" the study said.
"But, based on the evidence, it might more aptly be referred to as a method that is almost as effective as the male condom — at least when it comes to pregnancy prevention," read the study, written by scientists at the Guttmacher Institute.
The survey studied a population of heterosexual couples that had had sex in the past four weeks using one of the two methods of contraception.
First Published: May 28, 2009 2:53 PM EST
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