Good News About Birth Control

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

mjkittredge — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:30:26 GMT

Thank you for this article! I have used the withdrawal method with a few partners, and they were all so paranoid of getting pregnant. None of them did, of course. I've had people telling me it was just a matter of time, pregnancy was inevitable.

It's good somebody is getting the word out about how effective it is. Combatting widespread ignorance is a difficult job that requires vigilance.

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

Dave in NM — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:11:15 GMT

I never put much stock in the withdrawal method, but when my wife was off the pill briefly, well, let's just say it resulted in the brightest little ray of sunshine ever to draw on a kitchen wall with marker. Permanent marker. Black permanent marker. My family is complete (I saw to that, surgically, shortly after ray-of-sunshine's birth), and I can personally attest that the withdrawal method, well as it served me in college, is not without its wonderful little exceptions.

Great article, though - we need to take every opportunity to dispel the myths perpetuated by the sex-is-sin crowd. It's the only way to get the abortion rate down - way down - where it belongs.

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

mlcboyle — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:43:49 GMT

The sources quoted in this article in many instances appear to have questionable medical expertise. Moreover the "facts" are clearly overstated. For example, the author interprets the statement that pre-ejaculation presents a low risk of pregnancy to mean "not a real risk." These are not the same thing. Similarly, to say sex on your period is "pretty safe" is ambiguous and potentially misleading, as the only MD quoted notes. Most importantly, to say that for the majority of the population (observe that population is undefined) chances of HIV exposure and subsequent infection are pretty low is just ludicrous and for some a dangerous assertion. Studies demonstrate that this risk varies widely depending on age, sex, ethnicity, and SES group. Sexual morality issues aside, I think this is a poorly written and socially unconscionable article.

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

msfb — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:59:09 GMT

This article is poorly written, poorly edited and difficult to read much less understand. I feel more confused now than before I read it!

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

msfb — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:00:18 GMT

The withdrawal method should NOT be encouraged. You can still spread STD's. This article is irresponsible journalism at its best.

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

rckstrdave — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:00:06 GMT

This article is just asking for it. Don't use condoms and forget about AIDS. Awesome.

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

sej1981 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:30:06 GMT

Wow. Why is this author promoting risky sex? It doesn't matter that these methods work "ok", that's the reason you shouldn't do most of them! BIRTH CONTROL, LADIES!!! Jesus, you can get it for free at health clinics, there is no excuse for not getting any. Shame on this author.

And FYI, the "pull out" method doesn't work that great. I have proof, and its turning 8 next month.

re: Withdrawal Works! And Other Good News About Birth Control

BreezeKLee — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:21:57 GMT

As a Adolescent Health Educator I am APPALLED by the flippancy and disregard to public health that the author uses to discuss sexual health. The Pull Out method isn't so bad? Are you serious?!?!? When your magazine does a story on the teen pregnancy rate sky rocketing and the levels of Chlamydia, Genital Warts and Herpes all going through the roof please think back on this completely irresponsible piece of "medical journalism". How can a trusted and respected magazine such as Newsweek say that pre-ejaculatory fluid is mostly likely "safe" because it won't get you pregnant but then fails to mention that it can have every S.T.I. present in it . Teenagers have a LOT more sex than engage in much riskier behaviors than adults without the knowledge or benefit of experience of even knowing when to pull out. If this article was intended for couples in long term monogamous relationships it needed to be stated up front.

I will now hear "Well Newsweek said..." every time I go into a school and try to encourage teens to use a condom correctly and consistently. Thank you for minimizing the risk to impressionable young people and undoing years of education on the part of public health workers. One article CAN have huge impacts both positively and in this case negatively. Please think a bit beyond your narrow scope of adult responsible relationships before you write again and do more damage.

re: Good News About Birth Control

Tinkerbell22 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:22:17 GMT

My 24 year old best friend created a two year old daughter through means of the "pull out" method... so don't trust those odds... 96% safe? Pre-ejaculate ABSOLUTELY can contain sperm even if the man has not ejaculated for days.

re: Good News About Birth Control

Ian Blokesworth — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:16:36 GMT

This article puts all of the "HIV is an equal opportunity disease" and other myths to rest, as they should be. I suppose public health eductators will be upset that their triple-condoming recommendations will be ignored while they are busy setting up government-sponsored childcare in high schools for pregnant women. Abstinence did a great job when teen pregnancy carried a social stigma. Without the stigma, young women are trading sexual favors at age 10 for social acceptance.

re: Good News About Birth Control

mcrn — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:16:56 GMT

Wow. This article puts Newsweek on the "National Enquirer" level. Will we be reading about mermaids being found in a sardine can anytime soon?

re: Good News About Birth Control

belchey — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:25:09 GMT

This is crazy. Ive heard the opposite. Precum is potent people... dont get knocked up.

re: Good News About Birth Control

shinystar0525 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:55:04 GMT

The withdrawl method is not the only method to fail. My Birth Control Pill Baby is now 6. No, I did not miss any pills, was not on any antibiotics, and took the pill every day. Since then I have only trusted a vasectomy and am switching to an IUD. One thing not mentioned about the IUD is that STIs have more serious complications and is really intended for monogamous relationships.