Please clarify something for us with your statistics...
When you say that a condom is 98% effective in preventing against pregnancy when perfectly used or 85% effective in typical use, what exactly are you saying...because that either doesn't ring true.
Are you saying that a normal, healthy SP that has sex once a day every day of the year with condoms will be impregnated how many times a year (depending on her cycle)??? Are you saying that each SP is likely having numerous abortions over the course of a number of years?
I'm well aware that accidents do happen. But these statistics that are published all the time don't seem right or accurate - they always strike me as being way to high.
Health nurse...could you please provide some clarity on this?
Hi imrokhaard
The statistics that are given out are taken from studies and surveys that are conducted around the world. There are certainly issues with these studies in that there can be recall bias, people where on the birth control but not having sex so there was no chance they would get pregnant, how many years did they follow people etc. These studies seem to be designed as well as humanely possible at this time and if anything give us away of at least comparing the different methods.
Sexuality and U measure effectiveness as the number of unintended pregnancies per 1000 woman during first year of use. For condoms the data says that 20 woman out of 1000 will have an unintended pregnancy in the first year of use when the person stated they followed the directions. They give the number of 150 woman out of 1000 will have an unintended pregnancy in the first year of use during actual use which would include incorrect or inconsistent use of the male condom. This data would include people who say they normally use condoms for birth control even if they did not use one at the time.
The world health organization gives slightly different figures for the male condom where they say 3 out of 100 women will become pregnant in the first year of use, when used correctly and consistently and 14 out of 100 during actual use.
The above figures are good when compared to no birth control which would result in 85 out of 100 women becoming pregnant in their first year.
The most effective methods are a vasectomy, female sterilization and combined oral contraceptive (when used correctly). Even these methods are not 100% but are very close.
This means that pregnancy is always a risk when you are having penis-vaginal sex, but you can really reduce your risk by using a method of birth control.
From working in sexual health clinics I have met people who have become pregnant and either had a miscarriage or had an abortion. Due to stigma in our society around sex I have talked to people who have mentioned this to no one. This can certainly give us a personal bias on thinking birth control is 100%.
You bring up an interesting question if an SP would be more at risk of getting pregnant. From my experience most of the SP I have met use a birth control method (e.g. the pill) as well as condoms for vaginal sex.
You only need one sperm to enter the egg and we know that sperm can live for up to a week in the female reproductive tract. Give this a woman who only has one partner and has unprotected sex at least once a week would be at a consistent risk of getting pregnant. I don’t see how a SP would be at more of a risk than any woman who is having sex.
Thanks imrokhaard for commenting on the numbers, like all figures they need to be viewed as a guide. I wonder if also taking the first year of use creates a bias. At this time woman would be at their youngest, most fertile and inexperienced around using birth control. You would need to look at individual studies to see who was included.
Let us know if you want us to expand on a topic. Remember if you would like to ask me a personal question just send me a PM.
HN
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