Is birth control enough??? Should we use condoms too?
I've been on the bc pill orsythia for about 4 months. My boyfriend and I are young and we are the only sexual partners we've ever had, so we aren't worried about STD's. But lately I've been wondering if the pill is enough to keep me from getting pregnant? I take it at the same time everyday and he always pulls out, he has never came inside me and doesn't plan to. We have sex often and so far the pill has done it's job. But is it enough?? Or should we use a condom also just in case of pill failure? I've heard a lot of stories of women getting pregnant on bc pills, but I know most don't take it consistently, so that's user failure. But I do take it very consistently. Anyway, lots of opinions on this topic would be very much appreciated thank you.. :) :)
Answers & Comments
The combination pill is highly effective by itself.
The combination pill is around 98% effective against unintended pregnancy when it is used correctly - the number of times I've seen women on this site claiming perfect use when they've actually relied on the pill solely despite being sick or taking counter-acting medications shows that many women don't know how to use their birth control correctly. If you're also using withdrawal this increases effectiveness even further; and yes, withdrawal when used correctly is a highly effective form of birth control (no sperm, no baby).
BUT...
Condoms also decrease risk of pregnancy and are one of the best means of practising safer sex. You should *always* take precautions to reduce STI/STD risk - remember that virgins can have STI's/STD's, there are means of contracting STI's/STD's without sexual contact, general infections such as urinary tract or yeast infections can be passed between sexual partners, there's no HPV test for men so clear STD screening doesn't guarantee no risk, and people cheat (especially younger people).
The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method - http://www.scarleteen.com/article/sexual_health/th...
After Contraception or Commitment, Why You Still Gotta Rock Safer Sex - http://www.scarleteen.com/blog/heather_corinna/201...
Love the Glove: 10 Reasons to Use Condoms You Might Not Have Heard Yet - http://www.scarleteen.com/article/body/love_the_gl...
My main comment is that the pill is one of the most effective forms of birth control available when taken as directed. There should be no need for a second form of birth control. Just be aware of which medications may make your pill less effective and if you end up on any of those medications, then a second form of birth control would be a good idea while you are using the other medication. (antibiotics are one of the common ones that can effect birth control pills)
I used birth control for a total of five years and did not use any other birth control and never became pregnant while on the pill. (I was on ortho-trycycline) I started using birth control after getting married because we didn't want children yet. Then I used it again between my first child and my second child so that I wouldn't get pregnant again until I was ready. My husband and I never worried about any other form of birth control while on the pill and we never had a pregnancy that we didn't intend to have. (I stopped the pill when we were ready for each child.)
Always use a condom just because you're on the pill it isn't a freebee to not use a condom it's okay to do it like once if you don't have a condom but if you have one use it don't risk getting pregnant at a young age !
The pill is not 100% in preventing pregnancy and is recommended to be used with other contraceptives, regardless of the risk of contracting and STD. Pulling out before ejaculation does not change the fact that sperm has still been released during intercourse.