Withdrawal (pull out) method

Withdrawal (pull out) method

An image of a party popper

Withdrawal is the oldest form of birth control on the planet. There’s not much to explain, really. The guy pulls out before he ejaculates. End of story. Some people call withdrawal the “pull out method.” Or you may hear people call it “coitus interruptus.” The key thing to remember is this: You’ve got to do it right—every single time—for withdrawal to be effective. And how many guys do you know with that kind of total control?

Details
Withdrawal is the oldest form of birth control on the planet. There's not much to explain, really. The guy pulls out before he ejaculates. End of story. Some people call withdrawal the “pull out method.” Or you may hear people call it “coitus interruptus.” The key thing to remember is this: [You've got to do it right](/features/93)—every single time—for withdrawal to be effective. And how many guys do you know with that kind of total control?

Withdrawal is a method that is totally free, but risky. While you won’t have to spend anything to use it, you have to do it correctly every single time for it to work.

The withdrawal method is totally dependent on your partner and his self-control. He's got to make sure he pulls out before he ejaculates AND he's got to keep his semen away from your vulva when he does. So it's really important that your partner understands his own sexual response patterns.

But let's be real for a minute. What if he's had a few drinks? Or you're both just totally lost in the moment? Or what if he miscalculates his, uh, excitement? Withdrawal is always better than nothing—but it's pretty darn risky if you're serious about not getting pregnant.

There are positive and negative things to say about each and every method. And everyone's different—so what you experience may not be the same as what your friend experiences.

The Positive

* As inexpensive as it gets * No prescription necessary.

The Negative

* The only side effect of withdrawal is very real possibility of having a baby before you're ready * Difficult to perform perfectly every single time * Hard to remember to do if you’re drunk You might want to use a spermicide along with pulling out to make withdrawal more effective.
Do you have questions about Withdrawal (pull out) method? Visit Bedsider.org for answers to many of the most popular questions about this method of birth control.