AIBU to ask if pregnancy using condoms...

[Reallyquestionmark]

Really can happen? Just that really. I hear stories of people getting pregnant using condoms but I thought the statistics were they were roughly 98% effective. Tell me your stories of using condoms correctly and still getting pregnant. Does this actually happen?

I've been with DH 23 years now, and only used condoms, we have had 2 split in that time (tried a different brand which didnt work for us) and one child that was planned.

So yes for some couples, they are successful.

The stats aren't quite as bad as they sound, it's not that 2 out of a hundred result in pregnancy, it's based on a year - so if 100 couples were using condoms (correctly) as their only contraception for a year, two of those women would become pregnant.

One of the reasons for the higher risk is still lack of understanding how to use them properly, in particular that people put them on too late (waiting for the main event, as it were) as well as not putting them on properly which means more chance of breakage/tear.
That said, a condom fail isn't necessarily going to result in pregnancy - if that were the case, TTC would be a breeze - if you are relying on them without any hormonal contraception you can greatly reduce the pregnancy risk by tracking your cycle and avoiding your most fertile days.

All sorts of things impact their effectiveness or cause damage - any kind of oil on them (even greasy fingers), not leaving room for the cum, sharp finger nails. Carrying them in hold luggage on airplane can damage them too and cause the latex to split. Sadly abstinence is only full-proof way of ensuring you don’t get pregnant.

@cshelp it sucks! As well as acne, headaches, mood swings I had zero sex drive. Might try to have another baby. If we do, DH will get the snap afterwards.

@Bored40 I don't know how anyone abstains when they are in their fertile period. That is the time when I want sex the most

The snip lol

@littlemisscynical I guess a snap would work just as well 😂

@cshelp 🤣

I'm pretty sure it's not 2 out of a hundred falling pregnant I'm sure it's 2 times in 100 sperm will get through which may result in pregnancy. Many many people have sex without contraception 100s of times without getting pregnant. Even if all the conditions are perfect, sex during ovulation, hospitable environment, no contraception etc there's still only a 30% chance of pregnancy.

@coragreta - www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/how-effective-contraception/

I quote: Perfect use: 98% effective. This means that 2 in 100 women whose partners use a condom will get pregnant in a year.

(Also worth noting that "typical use" is only 82% effective...)

When condoms are used correctly they are very effective. When combining correctly used condoms with other correctly used forms of contraception - implants, coil, injection, pill etc the statistics are really on your side. It becomes almost impossible to get pregnant. Usually if someone gets pregnant they either didn't use contraception, didn't use contraception correctly, or didn't have a back up method of contraception (IE condoms combined with implant).

However you COULD still get pregnant. If everyone was using 2 forms of contraception correctly every time they had sex then unplanned pregnancies would become exceedingly rare. But... They would still happen.

Basically the only thing that you can be sure of is that if you have sex you could get pregnant, no matter how careful you are.

@cshelp
@littlemisscynical

I also struggle with hormonal contraceptives and have heavy periods (double whammy of endometriosis and PCOS).

I expressed my concerns to my GP, who told me that the Mirena is a localised dose of hormone into the uterus, so it shouldn't affect me in the same way as the pill/implant/etc. (I made a decision to steer clear of those, as they seemed to give me permanent and severe PMS amongst other side effects).

If I'm being honest I did have one side effect (a niggling pain on one side), but we think I was unlucky due to endometriosis issues. I'm now weighing up contraceptive 'options' (aka 'what's the best of a bad bunch!') and am considering the Mirena again as the issue may not reoccur and I got on with it so well otherwise.

@Poppins2016 it's so frustrating isn't it. I chose to avoid mirena as it made my mum bleed constantly and im just fearful of any additional hormones in my body after my experience with the pill. Thankfully my periods aren't too bad so copper is still ok for me.

I’m 35weeks pregnant with an exploding condom baby!

@lemonjam I think you have the baby's name sorted there too! 😂

Hahaha well we’ve not come up with anything else yet!

Well, I know someone who's dh claims that his ex-wife 'drugged him' and got pregnant not once, not twice, but three times despite using condoms. But given his track record with paying maintenance for his dc, I find the story a bit suspect....

I am slightly scared about contraception when I’m too old for the pill. We conceived both our children on the first month of trying so we’re obviouly quite fertile. Husband doesn’t want the snip and I’m not that keen on a coil.

Definitely happens. I have had a condom split before, I had to use the MAP. I don’t know why it happens, apparently it can be friction if there isn’t enough lubricant.

It’s like anything. I took the pill religiously everyday at the same time, never missed and boom pregnant!

Of course it happens. If you are really serious about not getting pregnant, you need to use another contraception method. That really reduce the risks.

My 11 year old daughter was a result of this. We were SHOCKED, he thought I'd cheated etc.
As in the quote from Friends, maybe they have little tools or something?!

I also fell on after taking the MAP within the allotted time scale. Two weeks later and I had two lines.
I guess celibacy is the only true 100% contraceptive.

So do 2 people out of every 100 take off a perfect condom and still get pregnant or do 2 people out of 100 using it perfectly still get breaks

I've always wondered this too.

So do 2 people out of every 100 take off a perfect condom and still get pregnant

women are not fertile every day of the month usually, so condom breaking won't always end up in pregnancy!

I guess celibacy is the only true 100% contraceptive

Also not true - have you not watched Jane the Virgin?