Pulling out to avoid pregnancy, also called “withdrawal” and “coitus interruptus,” is risky. The guy has to be totally aware of when he’s going to ejaculate, and pull his penis out before this happens. This can be really tough to do. It means he has to stop and pull out at the moment that he feels the most pleasure. If he doesn’t pull out in time, the method fails and it can fail even if he does pull out in time. If a guy and a girl are having unprotected sex, pulling out is better than using no birth control at all, but it shouldn’t be the planned method. With so many different birth control methods out there, there’s really no reason to take such a big risk.

Keep in mind that pregnancy isn’t the only concern here. Even if a guy doesn’t ejaculate in his partner, he and his partner can be exposed to STDs by having unprotected sex. STDs can be spread through pre-cum and vaginal fluids, and, in some cases (like herpes and HPV), just through skin-to-skin contact.

If you want to make an appointment at a family planning clinic to be tested for pregnancy and/or STDs, you can find one in your area checking out our Get Tested page. You can also find a clinic near you online, or call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to be connected automatically to the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.