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Avoiding intercourse
Abstinence - If the sperm never reaches the egg, the chances of getting someone pregnant are nil.
Pros:
- No risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease.
- No cost.
Cons:
- Difficult for many people to abstain from sex altogether.
- A person who resumes sexual relations may not be prepared, or may forget to use birth control.
Medical risks/side effects:
Effectiveness:
Outercourse - The opposite of intercourse, outercourse involves sex play without vaginal penetration to prevent sperm from joining the egg.
Pros:
- Can be used when no other methods are available.
- May prolong sexual foreplay and enhance orgasm.
- No cost.
Cons:
- Once you get started, you may want more. May prove difficult for many to abstain from going on to vaginal intercourse, with or without protection.
Medical risks/side effects:
- None
- Sexually transmitted diseases can be transmitted when body fluids are exchanged through oral or anal intercourse.
Effectiveness:
- Pregnancy is possible if semen or pre-ejaculate is spilled on the vulva.
Barrier Methods
Male condom - A kind of protective glove that fits over the erect penis, the male condom prevents sperm from spilling into the vagina. Condoms are generally made of thin latex, plastic or animal tissue. The range of effectiveness for condoms depends on how well you use them. The following guidelines may help increase protection:
- Use with spermicides.
- Do not use oil-based lubricants, like Vaseline®, on latex condoms.
- Use correctly: Put drop or two of water-based lubricant, like K-Y® jelly, in tip of condom. Place rolled condom on tip of hard penis. Leave half-inch space at tip. Pull back foreskin and roll condom down over penis. Smooth out any air bubbles.
- Hold condom against penis to withdraw.
Pros:
- Readily available in drugstores and supermarkets
- Can help relieve premature ejaculation
- Can be put on as part of sexual foreplay
- Can be used with other methods to prevent sexually transmitted infections
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- Some men complain of a loss of sensation when wearing condoms.
- Condoms can, and do, break, allowing sperm to spill into the vagina. That's why it's recommended that condoms be used together with a spermicide to disable the sperm before fertilization occurs.
- Animal tissue condoms do not protect against AIDS.
Medical risks/side effects:
Effectiveness:
Surgical methods
Sterilization - If you feel absolutely certain that under no circumstances do you want to have additional children, sterilization may be a birth control option. Sterilization may be difficult to reverse and reversal may not be successful. Either partner may undergo voluntary sterilization.
Vasectomy. This surgery involves sealing, tying or cutting a man's vas deferens, the tube that carries sperm from the testicle to the penis. Performed on an outpatient basis, vasectomy does not require general anesthesia. A vasectomy can be reversed 75 percent of the time within the first two years. After that sperm can be extracted from the testes and used to induce pregnancy.
Pros:
- Requires no action before, during or after sex
- No hormonal side effects
- May free you to enjoy sex more since you can't get anyone pregnant
- Cost-effective
Cons:
- May be difficult to reverse
- Requires surgery
- May regret the decision if your life circumstances change
- Does not protect against STDs
Medical risks/side effects:
- Mild bleeding or infection right after operation
- Reaction to anesthesia
- Infection or blood clot in or near the testicles
- Temporary bruises, swelling or tenderness of the scrotum
- Sperm leakage may form temporary small lumps near testicles.
How do I undergo sterilization?
Sterilization requires surgery.
Effectiveness:
- 99.5 percent to 99.9 percent
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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