Can You Still Get Pregnant With A Condom
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Can You Still Get Pregnant With A Condom
Can You Get Pregnant With a Condom?
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Zahra Barnes joined SELF in November 2015, working on the Culture and Health teams before eventually becoming Executive Editor. She has spent her career as a reporter and editor covering people's lives with a focus on wellness.
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If you use condoms , you probably have questions. Lots of questions, like: Can you get pregnant with a condom even if it doesn’t break? And: Should you use a condom during oral sex? Yep, pretty sexy stuff. It’s important to have those questions answered because the more you know about how to use condoms, the more likely you are to use them correctly.
You might think condoms are the ultimate defender against every sexually transmitted infection , the trusty goalkeeper blocking each sperm trying to get you pregnant—and while they’re pretty much the best barrier protection out there, the truth is they’re not 100 percent effective. Condoms can play a key role in protecting you—when they’re used correctly. And now is a good time to mention that nothing can safeguard you against STIs and pregnancy with 100 percent certainty if you have a vagina and are having sex with a person who has a penis. (Except, of course, not having sex. Which isn’t useful if you definitely want to have sex, so! Moving on.)
"Condoms are the number one reason I get phone calls from friends in the middle of the night," fertility expert and reproductive endocrinologist Brian A. Levine , M.D., and New York practice director for the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, tells SELF. Chalk it up to the operational hazards of being a board-certified ob-gyn. Here, he and other docs help us rectify the most common mistakes people make when using condoms—so hopefully you'll never make them again.
"Condoms are a great form of birth control, but they're not perfect," says Dr. Levine. Previous contraception research indicates that external condoms (which go over a penis) are 98 percent effective at preventing pregnancies when they’re used perfectly. By the way, "perfect use" in this case means using condoms consistently and correctly (which we'll talk about more in a bit). With typical use (like when you put it on incorrectly, don't use it the whole time, or don't use it every time), the failure rate of external condoms goes up to around 18 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . That means that in a given year, 18 out of 100 people will get pregnant while using these condoms with typical use, versus just 2 out of 100 who use these condoms with perfect use. The failure rate of internal condoms, which go inside the vagina, is 21 percent with typical use and 5 percent with perfect use, according to prior contraception research .
If you don't want a baby right now, Dr. Levine recommends using condoms in tandem with another form of birth control, like the pill or an IUD for more thorough coverage. Because yes, you can get pregnant using a condom even if it doesn’t break.
Condoms can be effective at preventing STIs , but they're not perfect. They offer the most protection against infections like gonorrhea , chlamydia, hepatitis A and B, and HIV, but they're not always successful barriers against other STIs. The reason: Not all STIs spread through fluids (like semen or vaginal secretions), which means you could still contract an STI via skin-to-skin contact since condoms don’t cover the entire pubic region. Here are the STIs that can spread even with perfect condom use:
This does not mean that you should just say "screw it" and forget the condom altogether. Condoms are still our best defense against STIs when having sex with someone who has a penis. Just keep in mind that it's also important to keep an eye out for any new symptoms and to stay on top of regular STI testing (since many infections can be totally symptomless).
You may think this is a given, but the CDC once tweeted a warning to people: Don’t wash or reuse condoms! It happens, and it is not a good idea, Alyssa Dweck , M.D., a gynecologist in Westchester, New York, tells SELF. “This is not a good habit to get into,” she says.
“A used condom cannot be considered reliable when it comes to pregnancy and STD prevention,” Dr. Dweck explains. You should only use condoms once, for each sex act (that means if you switch from vaginal sex to anal , you need a fresh condom). If cost or access is an issue, go to CondomFinder.org to learn where you can get free condoms in your area.
Penises come in all shapes and sizes, and so do condoms. "If you don’t have a properly fitting condom, you don’t have the contraceptive benefit of using it," says Dr. Levine. Here's why this matters: A too-tight condom might break more easily, and a too-big condom might come off too easily. When the whole point is to create a barrier strong enough to withstand ejaculate, fit is kind of an issue. So if you and your partner are about to use a condom that is clearly not the right size, say something. Yes, it can be an awkward conversation to have, but your safety matters more. Hopefully, you feel comfortable communicating with anyone who gets access to your body. And if not, check out these tips on how to talk with a partner about getting tested—a lot of them can apply to this situation, too.
Throw it out and grab a new one. It might seem like a convenient move (hey, you want to be prepared, right?) but this isn't really the safest place for something that has this important of a job. "Someone constantly sitting on the condom and heating it up breaks down its protective benefit," says Dr. Levine.
We get that you don’t want to kill the mood by looking your condom over with a magnifying glass. And while you definitely don’t need to spend 10 minutes checking the package for rips, you do want to look at the wrapper and actual condom to make sure it’s intact.
And while you’re already looking at the package, you might as well check the condom’s expiration date, too. “The expiration date is there for a reason,” says Dr. Dweck. “Some condoms have spermicide or other ingredients that break down over time and don’t work as well. If a condom has expired, you can assume it won’t be as safe or effective as one that hasn’t.”
The rolled edge of an external condom should be on the outside facing away from the penis. You'll know if you’re not putting it on correctly because the condom will resist unrolling down the penis as opposed to flawlessly unfurling itself. Don't feel bad if you make this mistake! Even though it was easy to put a condom on a banana in sex-ed (or if you never got to try that brilliant exercise, you've probably seen how simple it looks in movies), that's not necessarily true to life. "I have yet to find anyone who has a penis that looks like a banana," says Dr. Levine.
That's why paying close attention to any signs of struggle is key, whether you're putting the condom on a penis or a sex toy. "People try to force it down when this happens," says Dr. Levine. But a condom resisting is a sign something's wrong, which means you should remove it and get a new one (yes, really, you'll want to toss the one you tried to put on inside out if it touched someone's genitals).
Of course, internal condoms have their own nuances. First, the CDC says to differentiate between the thick, inner ring with a closed end and the thin, outer ring. The thick ring gets placed inside the vagina and holds the condom in place. The thin ring stays outside of the body and surrounds the vaginal opening. During sex, it’s best to guide the penis or sex toy inside the condom opening so they don’t slip between the condom and vaginal walls.
Ah, just the tip, the riskiest part of foreplay if you're not wearing a condom. Here's why this isn't a great idea. For starters, it's unlikely but theoretically possible to still get pregnant this way. While there may not be sperm in pre-cum, it's technically possible for pre-cum to carry out some live sperm hanging out in the urethra. (You can read more about that here .) So if you're using only condoms to avoid getting pregnant, every penis that enters your vagina should have a rubber on it. Period. And keep in mind that even if you're using another method of contraception, condoms can only protect you from STIs when they're on (this stands for oral sex too!). And yes, even “just the tip” can spread STIs.
That little reservoir tip at the top of external condoms serves a purpose: It’s there to collect sperm . Skip this step and sperm can actually leak out of the base of the condom. “After [ejaculation], pressure can cause sperm to leak out the sides," says Dr. Levine.
There is absolutely no reason to double-up on condoms, because one is sufficient enough to help cover your safe-sex bases . The friction of two against each other just makes each one more likely to break, says Dr. Levine.
Some people are allergic to latex condoms and might try condoms made out of lambskin and various natural ingredients. The CDC says to avoid these “natural” condoms if you can because they are more porous than latex kinds, making them less effective against STIs. "They don't offer the same protection against diseases," says Dr. Levine. There are other options for people with latex allergies, including polyisoprene, polyurethane, and internal condoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic .
If you're switching from anal sex to vaginal, it's time for a condom change. "You don’t want to introduce bacteria from the rectum into the vagina," says Dr. Levine. Another crucial time to get a new condom is when your partner has already ejaculated, but you're both down for round two. Even if they don’t get fully flaccid, there's a chance any softening of their penis before you start again could leave room for semen to slip out. It's also smart to change one after oral sex , in case your teeth grazed the condom without either of you noticing. And you may not think to do this, but you should use a new condom when using the same sex toy to penetrate yourself and your partner—grab a fresh condom each time you switch off who is receiving penetration or change the area the toy is being used for.
As we mentioned, sperm can leak out of the base of a condom—especially if your partner stays inside you too long. "As nice as it would be to have a cuddle session, realize that if you do so without withdrawing first, that condom is going to fall off the penis," says Dr, Levine. If that happens, the sperm can potentially enter your vagina, which sort of defeats the purpose of wearing one.
There's also the issue that if your partner goes flaccid then pulls out later, the condom can stay inside you without either of you noticing. You may be skeptical, like, "Of course I would realize if they didn't have the condom on when they pulled out!" You might, but sometimes the lights are off, you're sleepy, or you're just not really paying attention. The point is, take off the condom, then cuddle.
If there's a little too much friction, or if you and your partner are switching positions a lot, there's a possibility that the condom might break. Make sure that you have plenty of lubrication , either your own or from a bottle, so you can potentially avoid this problem.
Look for water- or silicone-based lubes instead of oil-based products to use with your latex condoms. You should also avoid using lotions, massage oils, or petroleum jelly as a stand-in for lube. That's because the oil from these products can actually degrade the latex, says Dr. Levine. (Read about how to choose a lube here . One affordable, expert-recommended pick is Good Clean Love Almost Naked Personal Lubricant, $7, Amazon .)
There are benefits to buying your own condoms so you don’t have to rely on your partner. For starters, you can make sure you’re using a condom that you like and that you know doesn't irritate you . It's also just good to have a backup in case your partner doesn't have one.
It may seem obvious, but in order for condoms to work, you need to use them the entire time you have sex—every single time when it makes sense to do so. Only 59 percent of people who used condoms with another form of birth control kept the rubber on the entire time, according to a 2014 study published in the journal Contraception . Researchers found that 35% of people started intercourse without a condom and that 6% removed the condom at some point during sex. This is not a good idea for all of the reasons we've already mentioned above. So make sure the condom is in place before you start having sex —and that it stays there until you’re both finished.
You can transmit or receive STIs during oral sex , so it makes sense that you’d want to wear a condom during the act. “You should use condoms or dental dams depending on who’s giving [oral sex] to who,” says Dr. Dweck.
Internal condoms have come a long way and are totally worth trying, says Dr. Dweck. “They’re very effective, and the new and improved models aren’t as noisy,” she explains. “I once had a patient tell me using it sounded like opening a bag of M&M’s in a quiet movie theater. The noise used to be a big deterrent for women but the new models are much better.” They’re especially great for people who want more control over their sexual experience or whose partners don't like using external condoms (perhaps because of erectile dysfunction or another issue). That said, they can be a little cumbersome to use at first but most people get used to insertion with practice, says Dr. Dweck.
You should not keep going if you feel the condom break—as tempting as that may be. Instead, the CDC recommends stopping immediately and asking your partner to withdraw or to withdraw yourself. Then, you should carefully remove the broken condom and put on a new one.
SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
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