Behavioral Choices

These are way you can prevent pregnancy by choosing safer behaviors:

Abstinence

How it works

Abstinence means not doing certain sexual activities. You can abstain from all sexual activities or just some. You can also choose to abstain from sex even if you have had sex before. It’s up to you to figure out what you’re comfortable doing and not doing.  If you abstain from vaginal sex it prevents sperm from getting into the vagina (just make sure no cum or pre-cum gets near the vagina!). If you choose to abstain from all sexual contact then you will also be protected from getting STIs.

Effectiveness

If you abstain from vaginal sex and no cum or pre-cum gets near the vagina then it is 100% effective.

Things to think about

The choice to practice abstinence is a personal one and it is not a realistic option for everyone.  Only you can decide if abstinence is right for you and what you want to abstain from.

Many women and men plan to practice abstinence, but then find themselves unprepared when they do decide to have sex.  Alcohol or drug use, having a partner who doesn’t want to practice abstinence, and your own sexual feelings and desires can make practicing abstinence difficult.  If you choose abstinence as your form of birth control it can help to have a clear plan if and when you choose to have sex.

There are no side effects to practicing abstinence.

Outercourse

Outercourse usually refers to sex play without vaginal sex (intercourse). For some people, outercourse refers to sex play without any oral, anal and vaginal penetration at all.

There are several different types of sexual activity that do not include intercourse:

• Kissing on the lips or other body parts.

• Mutual masturbation or watching your partner masturbate.

• Erotic massage using hands, bodies or mouths.

• Body-to-body rubbing.

• Sharing or acting out fantasies.

• Using sex toys such as dildos or vibrators.

How it works

Outercourse offers nearly 100 percent protection against pregnancy. However, pregnancy is possible if semen or pre-ejaculate gets into the vagina. Pre-ejaculate is similar to semen and may contain sperm.

Effectiveness

If you abstain from vaginal sex and no cum or pre-cum gets near the vagina then it is 100% effective.

Things to think about

Outercourse can provide intimacy without the risk of pregnancy but does not protect against STIs that can be passed by skin-to-skin contact, such as herpes and genital warts.  Sexual activities in the mouth (oral sex) or in the butt (anal sex) can also transmit sexually transmitted infections (STIs).   Male and female condoms are the only forms of birth control that also offer protection against STIs.

There are no side effects of outercourse.

If you are interested in enjoying sex play without the risk of pregnancy or if other birth control methods are unavailable or too costly, outercourse may be a good option for you. However, if you find it difficult to abstain from intercourse, you may want to consider other options.

Remember, male and female condoms are the only forms of birth control that also offer protection against STIs. Condoms can be used with other forms of birth control to provide that protection.

Pulling Out

Pulling out means taking the penis out of the vagina before a man cums (ejaculates), in order to keep the sperm from reaching an egg.  It is also sometimes called withdrawal or coitus interruptus.

How it works

The guy takes his penis out of the vagina before he cums.  The trick is that he has to know how close he is to cumming (which not all guys do!).  When he feels he is close, he pulls his penis out and cums far enough away from the woman’s vagina to make sure no cum (semen) gets in.

It is REALLY important to know that even if he pulls out there may still be pre-cum (the fluid that can come out of the penis before a guy cums) and can get a woman pregnant!

Effectiveness

It’s about 73% effective.

Things to think about

Fortunately, there are no side effects to pulling out.

It can be difficult for a guy to know when he’s about to cum (especially younger guys) and he may not be able to pull out quick enough.  Another common problem is that sometimes people change their mind during sex and decide they don’t want to pull out.  If you feel comfortable you may want to have a conversation with your partner around what would happen if someone changed their mind during sex.

Generally, when it’s used by itself pulling out is one of the least effective forms of birth control, but it’s better then nothing!  Some people use it in combination with another form of birth control.

Remember, male and female condoms are the only forms of birth control that also offer protection against STIs. Condoms can be used with other forms of birth control to provide that protection.

Fertility Awareness-Based Methods

These are sometimes called things like "natural family planning," the "rhythm method" or the "calendar method." Basically, a nurse or doctor teaches you how to track your monthly menstrual cycle so you can understand when you are fertile (most likely to get pregnant). Some couples use a calendar, while others may use a string of colored beads (called cycle beads) to track a woman's cycle. Then you and your partner abstain from sex on days when you are most fertile, or you use another type of birth control method to prevent pregnancy.

Effectiveness

Depends on a lot of factors and can be anywhere from 75-98%.

How to Get

You can get free calendars or purchase cycle beads at many family planning clinics.

Things to think about

This is not recommended for women with irregular cycles!!! And it may be less effective if you recently gave birth, are breastfeeding, or recently stopped a hormonal birth control method (like the pill, ring or shot). This option does NOT protect you from STI's and it requires planning ahead and making sure that both you and your partner are aware of the cycle and prepared.

Next Section: Birth Control Links