Q: Can I still get pregnant if a guy “pulls out” before he ejaculates? Or will it at least make pregnancy less likely?

A: Yes and yes.

Look, I have a friend who swears by the withdrawal method. She and her boyfriend have used it for years and she’s never gotten pregnant.

But I also know someone who now has a two-year-old who she swears came about despite the fact that her boyfriend sucessfully pulled out before ejaculating.

Withdrawal is a gamble. You might luck out and not get pregnant, but that’s not a guarantee. If you want to rest assured that you won’t get pregnant, use a reliable form of birth control–like a condom or the pill.

Neither of those options are as spontaneous as withdrawing. But then again, nothing kills spontaneous sex like the pitter pat of a small child’s feet…

Do you rely on withdrawal? If so, how come?

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