How Safe Is the Pull-Out Method?

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Many couples rely on the good, old-fashioned pull-out, or withdrawal, method for contraception. It's common practice for people whose religions eschew birth control or those who also rely on the rhythm method. The withdrawal method entails the man pulling his penis out of the vagina before ejaculating. Ideally, it keeps sperm from entering the vagina and fertilizing the egg. However, it's certainly not a failsafe method. When done exactly right every single time, the pull-out method is “almost as effective as the male condom — at least when it comes to pregnancy prevention,” Contraception magazine reported in June 2009. There are a lot of caveats involved with that claim, however. If practiced perfectly 100 percent of the time, then withdrawal fails up to 4 percent of the time.