effectiveness

This Way, Not That Way: Avoiding One of the Most Common Condom Oops

hatOne of the most common condom whoopsies we hear about from our users involves themselves or a partner going to put a condom on, then discovering they've put it on the wrong way.

Often, after doing that, they'll also report following that up with a second common oops, which is just flipping that same condom over and then putting it on the right way.

New Study Finds Long-Acting Contraceptives Much More Effective Than Pills (Especially for Those Under 21)

From Reuters, today:

A large real-life test of birth control methods found more U.S. women got pregnant while using short-acting methods such as pills, patches and vaginal rings — and the failure rate was highest when they were used by women under 21.

“We found that participants using oral contraceptive pills, a transdermal patch or a vaginal ring had a risk of contraceptive failure that was 20 times as high as the risk among those using long-acting reversible contraception,” said the research team.

When you use the pill, do you still have to use condoms?

Kori_Sanchez
asks:
I'm and 18 years old and have been having sex for a year and been on the pill for about a year. I take my birth control like a ritual at the same time every day (the combination pill). Sometime my boyfriend and I don't use a condom in the beginning to get him hard then we always put one on. My question is, when on the pill do you absolutely have to use condoms?...

A Common Condom Misunderstanding

I get the impression that some, if not many of of our users think that condom failure rates are the same as condom breakage/slippage rates. In other words, think that when we explain that in typical use, condoms are 85% effective, that means that 15% of condoms break.

It doesn't: that is NOT what those rates mean. I hate for anyone to be presuming it is and to panic about a potential pregnancy via condom use because of that misunderstanding.

The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method

You already know that no method of contraception is 100% effective to prevent pregnancy. You probably also know, however, that there are reliable methods which are very effective when used properly, and that if you use contraception correctly and consistently, pregnancy becomes a whole lot less likely. But did you know that by doubling up and using two methods, with almost any combination you use, you can get mighty close to that 100% with most combos?

If I miss pills, will I get pregnant?

curious
asks:
I'm very forgetful, and at times I forget to take the pill. My boyfriend and I have unprotected sex, so I was wondering if I miss a day with out taking the pill what are my chances of getting pregnant? How long before the sperm dies?...

Are we using condoms properly?

Anonymous
asks:
Alright, so me and my boyfriend had sex for the first time yesterday. It was my first time ever having sex, but I was confident about it. We used a condom and he is very safe about it. As well, during sex he does not have an orgasm and will pull out for my comfort of mind. He makes sure there are no holes in them and uses them how he is told....