The likelihood of getting pregnant with an interrupted act
Coitus interruptus is sexual intercourse during which ejaculation occurs outside the vagina. Interrupted intercourse is one of the most popular methods of contraception, but the likelihood of getting pregnant with interrupted intercourse remains extremely high.
According to statistics, approximately 20 out of 100 couples using interruption of intercourse as their main method of contraception, pregnancy occurs within 1 year. What are the advantages and disadvantages of interrupting sexual intercourse? What is the chance of getting pregnant with an interrupted act? What methods of pregnancy planning can help make interrupted intercourse more effective?
The likelihood of becoming pregnant with interrupted intercourse. Mechanisms of conception and sperm excretion
In order to understand what is the probability of becoming pregnant with interrupted intercourse, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of the main processes: the release of ejaculate (sperm) and the actual conception.
Coitus interruptus involves removing the penis from a woman's vagina in order to prevent sperm from entering the uterus and fallopian tubes, where conception occurs. Normally, every man feels the approach of orgasm, which allows the penis to be removed from the woman's genitals in time. However, not every man has sufficient self-control, as a result of which a small amount of seminal fluid can enter the partner's genitals.
Studies have found that a certain amount of active sperm is also contained in the pre-ejaculate (a colorless, viscous, clear fluid secreted from a man's urethra during sexual arousal), which increases the likelihood of becoming pregnant when interrupting the intercourse. The amount of pre-seminal fluid and the content of sperm in it is purely individual.
The likelihood of getting pregnant with interrupted intercourse also increases when semen enters the woman's external genitals. When practicing interrupted intercourse, couples also need to take into account that after one contact, a certain amount of sperm remains in the man's urethra, which also increases the likelihood of pregnancy during subsequent intercourse.
For pregnancy to occur, certain conditions must be met. Healthy sperm must enter the woman's body during ovulation (rupture of the follicle and release of the egg into the fallopian tubes). The average life span of a healthy egg is up to 24 hours (this period is significantly reduced with the age of a woman).
The viability of sperm that enter the female body is up to 48 hours, respectively, the sperm that entered the woman's body 1-2 days before ovulation is also potentially "dangerous", and the likelihood of getting pregnant with an interrupted act remains critically high.
Thus, the likelihood of becoming pregnant with an interrupted act remains extremely high, despite the need for the coincidence of many random factors. According to statistics, in couples who practice interrupted intercourse, pregnancy occurs within the first year of using this method of contraception, which is the norm for couples actively planning a pregnancy.
Many couples who are not planning a pregnancy see interrupted intercourse as a reliable method of contraception, not realizing that only one sperm that reaches the egg is enough for pregnancy to occur. 1 ml of healthy sperm contains up to 10 million spermatozoa, of which more than 6 million are quite active and have a high fertility.
From a medical point of view, interrupted intercourse is not a method of contraception.
The likelihood of getting pregnant with an interrupted act: the main disadvantages of the method of contraception
The high probability of becoming pregnant with an interrupted act does not stop many couples who actively use this method of contraception. However, pregnancy is not the only disadvantage of this family planning method. Despite all its advantages (availability, relative ease of use), interrupted sexual intercourse does not protect sexual partners from sexually transmitted diseases, many of which can be asymptomatic in the human body for a long time, manifesting themselves only in case of serious violations of the body's protective functions (weakening of the immune systems). Many of these diseases are incurable (AIDS, Herpes).
Studies have found that interruption of sexual intercourse to ejaculate outside a woman's genitals negatively affects the sexual and psychological health of partners. For timely removal of the penis from the vagina, a man must fully control the situation, which prevents him from fully enjoying intercourse and getting emotional and psychological relief. The containment of orgasm and ejaculate negatively affects the function of the penis, and a violation of the processes of peak excitation and forced inhibition lead to a disorder in the activity of the central nervous system, the development of neuroses, and a disruption of the reproductive system. The woman is also in tension during intercourse, which must be interrupted in time to exclude the onset of pregnancy, which also affects her ability to achieve orgasm.
Complementary methods of contraception and coitus interruptus: chances of getting pregnant are extremely low
With interrupted intercourse, the likelihood of becoming pregnant remains extremely high. However, there are additional family planning methods that can improve the effectiveness of coitus interruptus. Symptomatic and calendar methods are one of the most popular planning methods.
The likelihood of getting pregnant with an interrupted act is significantly reduced on certain days of the menstrual cycle. So, for the onset of pregnancy in the reproductive organs of women, there must be a mature egg, ready for fertilization. Ovulation occurs at approximately 14 days with an average cycle time of 28 days. There are various methods to determine ovulation, one of which boils down to measuring basal temperature and charting, which requires certain knowledge and preparation. Another method of identifying potentially “dangerous” days is to do a home ovulation test. Many women are able to independently determine the time of follicle rupture and egg release, based on subjective symptoms and sensations (profuse discharge of cervical mucus, pain in the lower abdomen,sensitivity of the mammary glands). Applying these methods in combination, as well as interrupted intercourse, the likelihood of becoming pregnant is practically excluded. It should be noted that such methods of contraception are suitable only for experienced couples. The listed methods of contraception are not 100% effective ways to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
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