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• Method 1 of 3: Using medical options to prevent pregnancy without a condom
• Method 2 of 3: Using natural methods to reduce your risk of pregnancy
• Method 3 of 3: Understanding the added value of a condom

There are several ways to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy without using a condom. You can ask your doctor for all kinds of medical options (and get a prescription for them) or you can go the natural way. However, keep in mind that a condom has other benefits besides contraception - namely, preventing STDs (sexually transmitted infections).The only 100% guaranteed way to prevent pregnancy is not to have sex; all other options significantly reduce the risk of pregnancy, but they are never guaranteed to prevent pregnancy.

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Method 1 of 3: Using medical options to prevent pregnancy without a condom

1. Take hormonal birth control pills. If you, as a woman, want to prevent pregnancy without using a condom, the most common option is to take hormonal birth control pills. These are available from your doctor; the pills are composed of a combination of estrogen and progesterone, or only progesterone. Typically, you take one a day for 21 days, followed by "fake pills" for seven days (when your body has a withdrawal bleed instead of menstruation).
   • There are various contraceptive pills with different compositions. Ask your doctor about the different options to determine which one is best for you.
   • The advantage of birth control pills is that they are 91% effective in preventing pregnancy (and even more effective when taken at the exact same time every day without missing a dose).
   • If you, as a man, have sex with a woman and don't want to get her pregnant, you can ask her if she takes the pill regularly. The downside to this method of contraception for men, however, is that they depend on and have to rely on a woman's word that she is taking them daily and not missing a dose.
2. Get an intrauterine device (IUD). An IUD or IUD is a small T-shaped device that is inserted into the vagina in the uterus (where it remains for several years and serves as a contraceptive). They are more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.
   • Available IUDs include: Mirena spiral, Kyleena and the copper IUD.
   • The Mirena spiral is based on hormones. It is more expensive and lasts for five years, but the benefit is that it reduces menstrual cramps and bleeding. The Kyleena IUD is also a hormone coil and also lasts for five years.
   • The copper IUD does not contain hormones. The advantages are that it is cheaper and can last up to 10 years, but the downsides are that your menstrual cramps and monthly bleeding can be exacerbated.
   • You can get a prescription for an IUD from your doctor. Your doctor can schedule an appointment with you to put it in, which normally only takes a few minutes.
   • Inserting an IUD can be equally painful when it has to go through the narrow opening of your cervix, but you should not feel any further pain after it is inserted.
3. Try other hormonal contraceptives. Other hormonal options include a vaginal ring, the Depo-Provera contraceptive injection, and the birth control patch. These are available on prescription from your doctor.
   • A vaginal ring (the NuvaRing) is something you insert into your vagina and leave it there for three weeks (and then take it out for a week for a withdrawal bleed). It suppresses ovulation by releasing hormones (a mix of estrogen and progesterone) when it's in the vagina. It is rare for a ring to cause problems during intercourse and normally the user or the partner does not feel it. Probability of failure is 9% with normal use and 0.3% with perfect use. The ring can stay off for up to three hours, so if you prefer having sex without it, that's an option.
   • The Depo-Provera contraceptive injection is administered by your doctor every three months, so the advantage is that as long as you go every three months, you don't have to remember to take the contraceptive pill regularly (or use another method). The chance of failure is less than 1% for those who get their injections every three months.
   • Birth control patches measure approximately 5cm x 5cm and are applied to your skin. Each patch lasts for a week and should then be replaced - you should use three in a row, followed by a patch-free week for a withdrawal bleed. The patches contain the same hormones as the contraceptive pill and when used correctly (and carefully changed every week), the chance of failure is less than 1%.
   • Ask about the birth control implant Implanon. This contraceptive stick is inserted in your arm and lasts up to four years.
4. Opt for a spermicide. Spermicide is a gel or foam that is introduced into the vagina, trapping and killing sperm by chemicals that are toxic to sperm. They are available at your local drug store or pharmacy. The failure rate for spermicidal gels is about 22%.
5. Use a barrier method such as a cervical cap or diaphragm. The cervical cap and diaphragm are means that a woman inserts into her vagina over the cervix. This prevents sperm from entering the uterus. The cervical cap or diaphragm also normally contains chemicals that kill sperm, further reducing the chance of pregnancy. The risk of failure is about 14% in women who have never been pregnant and 29% in women who have been pregnant before.
   • You can get a cervical cap or diaphragm from your doctor.
6. Opt for sterilization. One of the surest options for preventing pregnancy is to sterilize either the man or the woman (or both). However, it is important to note that this is a permanent procedure. It shouldn't be done unless you are absolutely sure that you don't want biological children of your own in the future.
   • For a man, the procedure is called a vasectomy. In this procedure, his vas deferens will be cut. This stops a man from causing a pregnancy.
   • For a woman, the procedure is called a tubal ligation. The woman's fallopian tubes (which carry unfertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus) are cut. This ensures that eggs cannot be fertilized and thus prevents pregnancy.

Method 2 of 3: Using natural methods to reduce your risk of pregnancy

1. Try the "get out of the church before singing" method. One way to reduce the risk of pregnancy without using a condom is to go out of church before singing. This method involves the man taking out his penis just before ejaculation so that sperm does not have the chance to enter the woman's vagina and lead to pregnancy.
   • The challenge with this method is that some of the sperm (pre-cum) can ejaculate prematurely (before the actual ejaculation and thus before the man has withdrawn his penis), which makes this method only 78% effective in preventing pregnancy.
2. Use the "calendar method". Technically, there are only a few days each month when a woman can actually get pregnant. Most women have a 28-day cycle, which starts on the first day of her period. Generally, ovulation occurs on the 14th day, but a woman can be fertile for several days before and after ovulation.
   • If a woman has sex well in advance or after her most fertile days, her chances of pregnancy are much smaller.
   • The disadvantage of the calendar method is that not all women have cycles of exactly 28 days. There is quite a bit of variation between women and there are even women who don't have a consistent menstrual cycle every month. Therefore, this method is only 76% effective in preventing pregnancy without a condom.
   • If your cycle is consistently around 28 days, subtract 14 days from the END of your cycle and consider this the start of your most fertile few days. The second half of a woman's menstrual cycle (after ovulation) is usually more consistent than the first half of the cycle (before ovulation).
3. Keep track of your fertility by recording physiological characteristics. One way to track your fertility is to record physiological characteristics such as basal body temperature and / or cervical mucus secretion to determine the specific days when a woman is extra fertile.
   • With the "body temperature" method, a woman should be the first thing she does every day to measure her temperature in the morning before eating. This rises about 0.2 to 0.5 degrees after ovulation. Therefore, it is recommended to use a condom, spermicide or other non-hormonal form of contraception from the first day after the woman's menstrual period until three days after her body temperature has risen.
   • With the "cervical mucus method", the woman observes the characteristics of the secretion of her cervical mucus. There is normally no discharge immediately after a period, followed by mildly sticky discharge in the days that follow, very slimy discharge that is slightly wetter and clearer in the days around ovulation, and no visible discharge at the end of her 'fertile period' until the start of the next menstrual cycle. Therefore, during the days when the cervical mucus is abundant, clear and wet, it is important to avoid sexual intercourse as the woman is most fertile.
4. Understand that natural methods still carry a risk of pregnancy. Both the "get out of the church singing" method and the calendar method are significantly less effective than medical methods of contraception. It is important not to rely on these techniques if you really want to prevent pregnancy. Here's why:
   • If you, as a man, have accidentally made a woman pregnant, she usually has a 100% choice whether or not to continue with the pregnancy (or to have an abortion).
   • This may mean that by getting a woman pregnant, if she chooses to keep the baby, you are now financially responsible to help out, and may also have to take responsibility for parenting.
   • Both men and women are affected by unwanted pregnancies. Having responsibility for a baby before you are ready can affect (and potentially hold back) other plans regarding career, relationships, or other areas of your life.
   • If you, as a woman, have accidentally become pregnant, you will be faced with a tough decision whether or not to keep the baby, or to have it aborted - provided that is legal where you live.

Method 3 of 3: Understanding the added value of a condom

1. Consider a condom to reduce the risk of STDs. Before making the decision not to use condoms, it is important to consider the role of condoms in preventing STDs and pregnancies. Even if you use other contraceptives, such as a hormonal form of birth control, they do nothing to protect you against STDs (sexually transmitted infections). That's why condoms have an important advantage when it comes to having safe sex.
   • Condoms protect you against STDs by reducing contact between the genitals and keeping sperm out of the vagina. In both ways, an infection is passed from one person to another.
2. If you don't fully trust your sexual partner, use a condom. If you are in a long-term monogamous relationship, you will know if your partner is using alternative contraceptives, such as the pill or an IUD, since you have built a relationship of trust with that person and have probably discussed the best birth control strategies for both of you. However, if you have a new sexual partner who you don't yet know well enough to fully trust, it's important to understand that a condom is one of the most reliable methods of contraception.
   • If you are male, you can never be sure that a new female sexual partner is actually "on the pill" (or using a different contraceptive) and responsible enough.
   • It is possible for a woman to lie about taking contraceptives if she is deliberately trying to conceive.
   • Likewise, a man can lie to a woman about having a vasectomy. Or, he can say he goes out of church before the singing and then not do it.
   • The use of a condom is a straightforward and direct method of contraception where trust is not important for both parties.
3. Seek emergency contraception if the condom breaks or doesn't work. Condoms are 82% effective in preventing pregnancy. However, if the condom breaks during sex, it's important to seek emergency contraception right away.
   • You can buy emergency contraception at your local pharmacy or drug store, or often even at the supermarket.
   • Your options are a morning after pill (Norlevo) or a copper IUD. Norlevo should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse (ideally within a day, as it is less effective the longer you wait). However, Norlevo can be used up to 72 hours after having unprotected sex. A copper IUD is effective as an emergency contraceptive for up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse.
   • Other options include Ulipristal acetate and pills containing a combination of estrogen and progesterone. You need a prescription from your doctor for these emergency contraceptives.
4. If pregnancy is unthinkable, use a condom as backup protection. Since every method has a potential for failure, it is smart to use more than one method - for example, both a condom and a birth control pill - in situations where you absolutely do not want to get pregnant. Better to be careful than to risk pregnancy and deal with the potential aftermath.