Pill & withdrawal combined effectiveness

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-05-2004
Pill & withdrawal combined effectiveness
3
Sun, 07-25-2004 - 10:25pm
Okay here is a quick question...

My fiance and I use the pill and withdrawal as our birth control methods. The information in my pill pack says that the pill is 99% effective if used correctly, and that, surprisingly, withdrawal is from 81 - 85% effective. I know that pre-ejaculate can have sperm in it, but we rely on the pills to protect from that. Anyhow, my question is kind of a math question....exactly how effective are these two methods combined? I am not sure how to figure that out.

Thanks for your help!

SARA

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-05-2004
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 2:35pm
*bump*

SARA

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 5:10pm
I used the pill (various brands) for 20 years and never used the withdrawl method, or any other for that matter, and did not have an accidental pregnancy.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 07-27-2004 - 8:11am
Withdrawal is only as effective as the guy is at knowing how close he is and is absolutely dependent upon pre-ejaculate. It only takes one sperm, you know! The effectiveness is calculated using a statistically significant number of couples using only that method for a year and calculating how many do or don't get pregnant. Bearing in mind that you can only get pregnant (if all things are working right) 2-3 days per cycle, with an average cycle around one per month, that's 24-36 days a year that you can get pregnant, and if you don't have sex in that interval because, say, it falls during the week when you're busy doing other things... You see where I'm going? I think with so many factors involved, trying to combine the statistics isn't going to give a realistic picture of the effectiveness of any two methods combined--it's all just numbers.

Though I have in the past, I wouldn't consider withdrawal as effective, just lucky. After all, look at the statistic for "no method"--isn't that somewhere in the 70's? That's just me though! I've been using only hormones (whether the pill or the ring) for seven and a half years, only using backup as absolutely necessary, and never had reason to worry.

Good luck--if you want to use some non-condom form of backup, have you tried a spermicide?

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control