My boyfriend and I just started having sex. He always pulls out very early on, but we’re both inexperienced. How likely is it I will not get pregnant?

By Kendall @ Planned Parenthood | April 26, 2012, 1:36 p.m.

Category: Ask the Experts, Birth Control

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My boyfriend and I just started having sex and we always are very careful in checking everything and he always pulls out very early but we are both inexperienced. How likely is it that I will not get pregnant?

It sounds like you and your boyfriend are using the pull out method — also known as withdrawal. Withdrawal can prevent pregnancy by keeping semen out of the vagina. Like all birth control methods, withdrawal is most effective at preventing pregnancy when you use it correctly. But withdrawal can be a lot harder to use correctly than some other birth control methods, especially for teenagers.

There’s nothing wrong with being sexually inexperienced — everybody is sexually experienced at one point — but it can make it hard to totally understand how your body works during sex. And for guys, that can mean it’s hard to know exactly when they’ve reached the point where ejaculation can’t be stopped or postponed. This is one reason why so many girls get pregnant from guys not pulling out in time.

Condoms might be a good alternative for you and your boyfriend. Condoms are widely available and inexpensive — some health centers even give them away for free. And, unlike withdrawal, they can also help prevent STDs.

Tags: pull out method, withdrawal, pulling out