Additional behaviours to reduce your chance of pregnancy

There are additional behaviours that can reduce the risk of pregnancy. These rely on you and/or your partner(s) taking part in certain actions. These include:

• withdrawal - removing the penis from the vagina before ejaculation of semen (cumming)
• abstinence - not taking part in any type of sexual activity
• outercourse - taking part in sexual activity that does not involve the penis entering the vagina or anus

These additional behaviours are not considered types of contraception. While some people might choose to use only these additional behaviours, they should ideally be paired with a type of contraception to reduce the risk of pregnancy.

These additional behaviours require shared understanding, open communication and cooperation between partners. They are best used when there is a strong foundation of trust between sexual partners. These additional behaviours might require a level of restraint from you and/or your partner(s).

Withdrawal is also known as 'pulling out'. This is when the penis is removed from the vagina before ejaculation of semen (cumming). This lowers the chance of sperm entering the vagina and fertilising an egg.

Withdrawal is not recommended as the main method to prevent pregnancy, but it's more effective than taking no action. If preventing pregnancy is important to you, you should consider using a type of contraception.

Some people might choose to use withdrawal in addition to a type of contraception (such as, the pill or mini-pill) to further reduce the risk of pregnancy.

It is important to remember that this method requires shared understanding, agreement and cooperation between partners.

Typical use

80% effective

Perfect use

96% effective

To use most effectively, the penis must be removed from the vagina before ejaculation every time you have sex. The ejaculation of semen (cumming) should happen away from the vagina so semen does not accidentally enter the vagina.

However, sperm can be present in pre-ejaculate (pre-cum), which is released from the penis before ejaculation. A person cannot control if pre-ejaculate is released and often cannot feel it. This makes withdrawal very hard to monitor and reduces the effectiveness of this method at preventing pregnancy.

• free
• no side-effects
• easily accessible
• does not require an appointment with a health professional

• with typical use, it is not very effective at preventing pregnancy
• does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• read more about safe sex
• requires a high level of self-discipline from the partner that ejaculates
• does not help to manage health symptoms (such as, period pain or heavy menstrual bleeding)

Abstinence is choosing not to take part in any sexual activity. People might choose abstinence for a variety of personal or cultural reasons. Some people might choose to avoid any type of physical intimacy, whereas others might engage in some intimate, non-sexual activities like kissing and cuddling. You can choose what it means to you.

Some people might choose to use abstinence to reduce the risk of pregnancy on days they're fertile (more likely to get pregnant) but have penis-in-vagina sex at other times. This can be part of using fertility awareness methods (FAM).

This method is very effective at preventing pregnancy because sperm does not enter the vagina and cannot fertilise an egg.

It is important to remember that this method requires shared understanding, agreement and cooperation between partners.

With perfect use, abstinence is 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. This is because there is no chance of sperm entering the vagina and fertilising an egg.

• free
• effective at preventing pregnancy
• easily accessible
• does not require an appointment with a health professional
• protects you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

• does not allow for any sexual activity, which some people may find restrictive
• requires restraint, and therefore might not be easy to maintain long-term
• does not help to manage health symptoms (such as, period pain or heavy menstrual bleeding)

Outercourse is sexual activity that does not involve the penis entering the vagina or anus. It is sometimes called 'non-penetrative sex'. This method is very effective at preventing pregnancy because sperm does not enter the vagina and cannot fertilise an egg. Outercourse may include:

• kissing
• massage
• intimate touching
• dry humping or grinding
• using sex toys on each other
• oral sex

There are lots of ways to give and receive pleasure that do not involve penetrative sex.

Some people might choose to use outercourse to reduce the risk of pregnancy on days they're fertile (more likely to get pregnant) but have penetrative sex at other times. This can be part of using fertility awareness methods (FAM).

It is important to remember that this method requires shared understanding, agreement and cooperation between partners.

Typical use

very high, but can vary

Perfect use

100%

With perfect use, outercourse is 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. This is because sperm does not enter the vagina and cannot fertilise an egg.

With typical use, outercourse is still very effective at preventing pregnancy, but can vary. This is because it is only effective if no semen gets near or inside the vagina. There is still the possibility of pregnancy occurring if semen accidentally enters the vagina. This can happen if:

• the vulva or vagina is touched with fingers or sex toys that have semen or pre-ejaculate (pre-cum) on them
• ejaculation occurs near the opening of the vagina, allowing sperm to enter the vagina

• free
• highly effective at preventing pregnancy
• easily accessible
• does not require an appointment with a health professional

• does not allow for penetrative sex, which some people may find restrictive
• does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • some STIs can be spread through oral sex
  • some STIs, such as herpes and genital warts, can be spread through skin-to-skin contact (even without penetrative sex)
  • read more about safe sex
• requires restraint, and therefore might not be easy to maintain long-term
• does not help to manage health symptoms (such as, period pain or heavy menstrual bleeding)