What is the legitimacy of contraception failure rates?!
Question: I read about failure rates for condoms, birth controls, and other sexual related things and most scientific sites I read say condoms are 97-99% effective with perfect use and about the same for birth control. Most sites also say stuff like the guy catching HIV from unprotected vaginal sex if there are no open sores or stuff is 97-99%.
I don't see how sperm can get through a latex barrier (condom). I don't see how sperm can get through a thick mucous membrane on the uterus or how an egg can implant given all the progesterone.
And I've never heard of a man contracting HIV through unsafe vaginal sex assuming no open cuts.
Assuming perfect use, are the failure rates actually zero.? I know condoms can break, a girl can miss a pill, etc. but assuming this doesn't happen shouldn't the rate be 100% effective. I want to have safe sex w/ my girl and not worry about pregnancy due to the method I use. I'm particularly interested in failure rates of condoms.
Answers: I read about failure rates for condoms, birth controls, and other sexual related things and most scientific sites I read say condoms are 97-99% effective with perfect use and about the same for birth control. Most sites also say stuff like the guy catching HIV from unprotected vaginal sex if there are no open sores or stuff is 97-99%.
I don't see how sperm can get through a latex barrier (condom). I don't see how sperm can get through a thick mucous membrane on the uterus or how an egg can implant given all the progesterone.
And I've never heard of a man contracting HIV through unsafe vaginal sex assuming no open cuts.
Assuming perfect use, are the failure rates actually zero.? I know condoms can break, a girl can miss a pill, etc. but assuming this doesn't happen shouldn't the rate be 100% effective. I want to have safe sex w/ my girl and not worry about pregnancy due to the method I use. I'm particularly interested in failure rates of condoms.
I see where you are going with this. It makes perfect sense. However, think about how small a sperm is. Remember, it only takes one little renegade sperm. If there is a tiny hole in the condom, a few sperms might decide to make a break for it... but you'll never know about it because you can't see a hole the size of a needle tip because I doubt you want to inspect a used condom that close.
Anyway, when a woman is on birth control, her body will still try to balance her hormones out. For MOST women, the birth control is effective. My body, on the other hand, resists all hormonal birth control methods. My body just doesn't like it.
There IS no 100% because you need to realize that human error is in play. No matter what you do, there will always be a small chance that things won't go the way you want them to. My sister got pregnant with her first baby due to a broken condom. Her second baby was the result of failed pill. Her third baby she conceived while she was breastfeeding AND on the UTI (uterine implant- which has the VERY highest success rate, btw).
Me? I'm 26 and have been using several different methods of birth control (and have never gotten pregnant). I use condoms, the rhythm method, and spermacides. I can't take any kind of hormonal birth control anyway. In the middle of my cycle, my husband and I have "Black out week." There is a full week around the time I am most fertile that I refuse to even let my husband kiss me too much.
If you are careful about your birth control methods, and you don't screw up, then your chances of not getting pregnant go way up/ Now, if you are a total IDIOT, and forget a pill (I can say that because I take a medication every day for the past 10 years and have NEVER missed a pill), then your chances of being protected go way down.
The effectiveness rates of condoms are somewhere between 85-98%. The difference is what is considered "perfect" and "typical" use. If you use a condom 100% of the time, and its a good brand, not expired, not weakened by the incorrect lube, whatever, there's still a 2% chance of pregnancy, THEORETICALLY. Condoms can fail even though they are carefully regulated and tested. If you and your girlfriend are VERY concerned, she can get on birth control - 99.9% (some say) and you can still wear a condom. Chances then are pretty slim.