On Tuesday, the Alligator ran a column titled “‘Pull and pray’: Yay or Nay?” singing the praises of the pull-out birth control method. We realize that the piece didn’t emphasize a few key pieces of information: That, like all birth control, the pull-out method isn’t for everyone, and furthermore, the study quoted in the article stipulated that the pull-out method should be used in conjunction with other forms of birth control.
However, that doesn’t mean the pull-out method is bad: It all depends on who is using it.
Like drinking alcohol or firing a shotgun, the safety issue isn’t about the act itself: It’s about who’s doing it. And like all birth control methods, you should consult your doctor or a Planned Parenthood consultant before trying it. Students can also schedule a free consultation at the UF Student Health Care Center.
The pull-out method is most effective for couples in a committed relationship, and it’s also best used concurrently with other forms of birth control. The Guttmacher Institute study stated, “One-third of women at risk of unintended pregnancy used withdrawal as a contraceptive method within the past 30 days, often in combination or rotation with more effective methods.”
According to Planned Parenthood, of every 100 women whose partners use withdrawal, four will become pregnant each year if they always do it correctly. Of every 100 women whose partners use withdrawal, 27 will become pregnant each year if they don’t always do it correctly.
The other elephant in the room when it comes to the withdrawal method is what happens immediately prior — pre-cum. Does it get you pregnant? Scientists aren’t sure yet, but a 2010 study of 27 men showed that 11 of the men’s pre-cum contained sperm, and in 10 of those cases a “reasonable proportion of the sperm was motile.”
At any rate, the existing research on pre-cum is inconsistent, but it should still factor into your decision on whether or not to try the pull-out method.
New York Magazine’s “The Cut” put it best when referencing the “pullout” generation: “Every single American woman who’s now in her childbearing years came of age in the era of legal birth control. Many were prescribed the pill before they even started having sex. For years, the pullout method was taboo — seen as non-birth control for ignorant risk-takers.”
This is changing as organizations like Planned Parenthood and Bedsider seek to paint a more accurate picture of what the pull-out method can look like. Despite its negative reputation, spread in part by pop culture, the pull-out method can be a viable option — within reason.
But the numbers don’t lie: Coitus interruptus can be an effective form of birth control if you’re with a partner you trust and if you consider using additional methods of contraception and sexually transmitted disease protection, like a condom or dental dam.
[A version of this editorial ran on page 6 on 6/11/2014 under the headline "Clearing the air: Monday’s coitus interruptus column"]
Correction: The version that ran in the paper incorrectly stated the column ran on Monday.
