Combo of condoms & BCP

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2004
Combo of condoms & BCP
3
Sun, 11-14-2004 - 1:45pm
How effective is the combination of birth control pills & condoms?

I've been on the pill for 2 months. I had sex the same day my period stopped (a supposedly safe time?), and we used a condom. But I'm still very paranoid and am considering the morning after pill. Is this necessary or am I stupid to think I would need to use emergency contraception anytime I have sex, on top of all the other contraception.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-10-2003
Sun, 11-14-2004 - 2:53pm
relax! with the pill being 92-99.7% effective and condoms being 85-98% effective I'd say you're pretty safe. My advice is that if you're not willing to risk a 2% possibility then maybe you and your partner aren't quite ready to have sex. That's how i looked at it until i was really ready. Just a sugestion. Don't worry though!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Sun, 11-14-2004 - 5:42pm
The other poster is right. Your chances of pregnancy are extremely low. There are many women all over the world that rely solely on the pill for protection against an unwanted pregnancy and don`t get pregnant. According to Planned Parenthood ( http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/bcfacts2.html ) is about 99.7% effective in preventing pregnancy with perfect use, and condoms are about 98% with perfect use. What the pill "lacks" in efficacy, the condom really makes up for - I mean, it keeps sperm from being released into your body and without sperm, no pregnancy. And the pill prevents your body from ovulating, or releasing an egg, among other things so no egg, no pregnancy. So egg, no sperm, no pregnancy! In the event one method fails, say the condom breaks or you take antibiotics and your pill`s effectiveness is lowered enough that you ovulate, you`re still pretty well protected. Birth control pills and condoms are a great duo to help prevent pregnancy, and STDs!

Kudos for being so responsible in this.

Also, when you refer to a "safe" time to have sex, I assume you`re referring to the fact that you`re not supposed to be able to get pregnant during this time? The thing is, though, that`s referring to normal, non-birth-control controlled cycles and isn`t even all that true for those. Anytime on the pill is a safe time to have sex, as long as you`ve taken your pills correctly and consistently for at least seven days prior. ANY day of the month! That`s a lot of sexual freedom! :) Because your body isn`t releasing an egg, you don`t worry about "safe" days or "unsafe" days to have intercourse.

I hope this helps!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2004
Sun, 11-14-2004 - 11:28pm
Thanks for the info/reassurance. Things I'm aware of, but just needed to hear from others. I appreciate it.