Are condoms safe enough to prevent pregnancy? The answer is yes. The effectiveness of condoms to prevent pregnancy depends on several factors including the correct way to use them. If a condom breaks during intercourse, pregnancy can occur unless you are using a second birth control method. Keep on reading to understand why use condoms and 10 reasons to use condoms, are condoms safe enough to prevent pregnancy, and how to use condoms to avoid pregnancy?
Why Use Condoms?
Condoms are thin loose-fitting pouches or sheaths that protect you as well as your partner against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like HIV and herpes by greatly reducing people’s exchange of bodily fluids. When it comes to condoms and pregnancy prevention, it is a good option as a barrier method (contraceptive) of birth control as it keeps the semen or sperm-filled fluid from entering the vagina and fertilising the eggs. However, condoms to prevent pregnancy can only work if they are used correctly and more effectively. So knowing this, how to use condoms to avoid pregnancy is very crucial? Let us take an example- using condoms with contraceptive foam can greatly reduce the chances of getting pregnant.
Are Condoms Safe Enough to Prevent Pregnancy?
The effectiveness of condoms in preventing pregnancy is related to how perfectly you use them every single time while having sex. Condoms are usually 98% effective in pregnancy prevention as per studies but in real-life situations, people can make mistakes and they are about 87% effective. This means about 13 out of 100 people who are using condoms to prevent pregnancy will get pregnant.
How to Put On a Condom to Avoid Pregnancy
As mentioned above the most effective way to avoid getting pregnant is to use them correctly during sex and for that let’s understand how to use condoms to avoid pregnancy. Below are some points that have been listed for your better understanding:
- Do not open the packet using your teeth as it could damage the condom
- Squeeze out any air, holding the condom’s tip
- While applying the condoms, make sure the penis is completely erect
- Ensure the condom is rolled on correctly till the base of the penis
- Wear the condom for the whole duration of the sexual intercourse, right from start to finish.
- Once you are done, throw it in the bin, not in the toilet
- Also don’t use the used one again
Moreover, you can also increase the effectiveness of condoms in avoiding pregnancy by adding another form of birth control like the contraceptive pill, IUD, or birth control shot. Using the ‘pull out’ or withdrawal method while also wearing a condom can keep the sperm out of the vagina and lower the risk of pregnancy. As long as you wear the condom correctly and ensure that the condom is not expired, you can avoid an accidental pregnancy.
10 Reasons to Use Condoms
Why use condoms? Well, there are various reasons why using condoms is a smart choice while having sex. The major reasons are:
Protect You from STIs:
According to doctors, condoms are one of the most effective measures that can prevent STI transmission during penetrative sex as they create a barrier between the genitals during sex.
Low Risk of Side-Effects:
As compared to other contraceptive measures like the pill or the shot, that can cause side-effects, condoms are usually safer.
Help Prevent Pregnancy:
As explained earlier, condoms can help reduce the risk of pregnancy if used correctly.
Easily Available Compared to Other Forms of Contraception:
Condoms are easily accessible, and you do not require a prescription from the doctor to buy them. Just walk into any drugstore or grocery store and you can pick up a pack and pay for it.
Cheaper as Compared to Other Contraception:
Condoms are usually very cheap and affordable and certain health clinics even provide you condoms for free. The same thing cannot be said for oral birth control or an IUD.
Work as an Extra Layer of Protection:
IUDs, pills, or implants can indeed all be up to 99 percent effective, human error can make them less effective. Condoms work great as an added layer of protection in case you want to avoid pregnancy.
Can Enhance Sexual Pleasure:
Condoms are available with ribbed or dotted detailing, which can boost sexual pleasure for some people.
Reduce Risk of Other Infection:
Studies show that condoms can also help reduce the risk of bacterial vaginosis. Moreover, condoms intercept the pH-disrupting semen and maintain the pH balance of the vagina, thereby supporting vaginal health.
Make Clean-up Easier:
Condoms lead to easy post-sex quick clean-up. It keeps things from getting messy as there is no worry of semen leaking out.
Can Help Penetrative Sex Last Longer:
Condoms can allow people to go longer or delay orgasm, which can bring them and their partners enhanced pleasure.
Conclusion
If you want to use condoms to prevent pregnancy, then remember to wear and use them correctly for effective results. Moreover, if you want to reduce the risk of getting pregnant even further, use another type of contraception along with condoms. Apart from being a great pregnancy prevention contraceptive, condoms also help you stay safe from dangerous STIs including HIV and herpes. Hopefully, the above mentioned tips on how to use condoms to avoid pregnancy will help you stay safe and avoid unplanned pregnancy.
