Precautions to Avoid Pregnancy

The number of unwanted pregnancies in escalating. Not every couple intends to start a family early in their marriage. It is not something that can be left to chance, as the resultant responsibility of caring for your child should never be unplanned. So, precautions must be taken to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

Let us first have a look at some of the methods people use to avoid getting pregnant. These include:

Withdrawal

It is the method, in which the man takes his penis out the vagina, when he is about to ejaculate. It is not reliable as pre-ejaculate semen also contains sperms that can cause pregnancy.

First Time Sex would not Cause Pregnancy

This is believed by many people but you don’t want to leave it to chance. From the time menstruation starts in you, sex can lead to pregnancy.

Douching

Some women wash the semen from their vagina after sex. This is of no use, because if you have to get pregnant, the strongest sperm would have already reached the uterus.

Calendar Birth Control

This is perhaps a little more effective as when you watch the calendar for those times of the month, when you are not fertile, to have sex, but your sperm can stay for 4 to 5 days and make you pregnant, when you become fertile.

If you have been following any of the methods mentioned above, know that you are not secured. Some of the better ways to ensure that you do not get pregnant are:

Contraception

Get professional help to get a reliable contraception done. Whether it is taking pills, IUD, condoms, or permanent implants to prevent pregnancy; but remember that no birth control gives you 100 percent prevention, although, it is as high as 98 percent in many of these, if used properly. If you are taking contraceptive pills and also need to take some antibiotics, the former may not work. So, take additional precaution of using condom in this case.

Do not Penetrate while having Sex

This is a better idea for couples, who use the withdrawal method. You can have sex in different ways and induce orgasm without actually allowing for penetration. Just make sure that you do not start doing anything unhygienic, or accidentally bring the sperm into the vagina.

Do not Take Alcohol or Drugs

Most young girls get pregnant, when they have unprotected sex while they were drunk, or under the influence of drugs. Unprotected sex may seem to be ok in the heat of the moment, but it will surely make you feel bad as you wait for your periods to come in the next few weeks.

Image courtesy: Getty Images

Read more articles on Contraception.