Condoms as contraception

[ldanse]

Anyone here use only condoms as your form of contraception?

I was on the implant for a year and experienced nothing but anxiety & panic attacks so I got it removed & fell pregnant

I’m now 12 weeks pp & I’ve been on the pill the last 8 weeks it was okay until 2 weeks ago I was convinced I was pregnant I had every single symptom , including morning sickness , I was SO nauseous to the point I was running to the toilet to be sick but wouldn’t actually be sick. I was also waking up out of my sleep with nausea. Anxiety also came at me strong. - I read nausea is actually common on the pill

I forgot to take my pill yesterday & today , tonight I realised I didn’t feel one bit nauseous today which is strange , the past 2 weeks I’ve been so nauseous

so really I would love to just be on nothing , condoms sound a dream because it can’t affect the hormones , but how reliable is it?

if I was using them I would probably still get DH to pull out to be sure ?

I'm not sure what to do, should I just stop the pill and start using condoms or am i taking a chance ? Or are condoms just the same 99% effectiveness as the pill etc

They're reliable (until they fail)

Hi I’ve been using condoms as contraception for 13 years (one year off whilst pregnant) no unplanned pregnancies here!

I love not being on hormonal contraception. Told my husband I was never going on them again after having my 1st baby, we used condoms for 2 years, had 2nd baby (now ten years old) and been using just condoms ever since. Told my husband snip or condoms as I was done with being in charge of contraception!

According to the NHS:

Condoms are also 98% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means that 2 out of 100 women using male condoms as contraception will become pregnant in a year. In real world use, about 15 in every 100 women a year who use condoms as contraception become pregnant (85% effective).

If the only problem is hormones have you considered the copper (non hormonal) coil?

We used Condoms for 6 years with no issues. Then Dh had a vasectomy. We used them until the all clear.

Condoms only for the last decade (approximately). No issues.

Btw your husband pulling out while relying on condoms would be incorrect use and could result in it slipping off and getting ejaculate inside you.

Used them for years between DC and again till DH’s vasectomy test comes back.

Yes. I’ve used them as the only form of contraceptives at various stages of life.

For about 3 years as a young adult before going on the pill and then for 18 months post partumn before we tried to convince DC2.

Never had any scares or mishaps with them.

I never plan to use hormonal birth control again. We’ll use condoms until we’re done having kids and then DH will get the snip.

To be honest, I wouldn't rely on condoms if I REALLY didn't want to get pregnant. But if it was something that wouldn't be a catastrophe, then why not?
If you want the numbers, then hormonal contraceptives are slightly more effective than condoms with perfect use, and quite a lot more effective with 'typical' use.
What about a copper coil? Or if you're finished having kids then a vasectomy for your partner.

I’ve used them as sole contraception before but can see why it’s not a great idea!

If they’re 98% effective, doesn’t this mean you have a 1 in 50 chance of getting pregnant? Or am I being dense?

Ive been using them for 20 years (minus 9 months on the pill and 2 x DC) and never had any issues,

i am good at remembering things in general but wouldnt recommend if you are likely to forget. Ive always got pg within 1/2 months so im quite fertile when a sperm does get through so they seem to be doing their job! Always Durex brand.

Obvs you dont get the feel but I have a blood clotting disorder so easier to use barrier.

Dh and I have used condoms for 20 years. The only times I've fallen pregnant is when we stopped using them to ttc.

I'm looking to get my tubes tied at some point, but not because I don't trust condoms.

I think it means 1 in 50 women will become pg. Ive used them say 2 x a week for 20 years (so maybe 2000 times?) - feel like i should touch wood now!

Condoms for 13 years and no worries, also track ovu so we know when it's slightly riskier. You do have the option of MAP as well if there was any worries due to split/leak, obv not ideal and defo not as a regular but as a back up if you ever needed it.

Me! Multiple years with no issues. I can't take hormonal contraception, copper coil out due to heavy periods as I have endometriosis.

You have to use them correctly. We bought some tester packs online and tried them out for the best fit. Condom on from the beginning, no "I'll pull out and put it on before finishing" nonsense. Clean up straight away afterwards so no risk of any leakage. Obviously takes away some spontaneity unless you carry them everywhere with you, but so much better than hormonal contraception for me.

I don’t understand how condoms aren’t 100% effective if you put them on correctly and at the right time. It is literally a barrier.

I understand that there is a very small chance they can split but it’s quite easy to check if they’re intact afterwards. In the very unlikely event that they do split then the morning after pill is still there as a back up.

We've used them for the last 20years with no problems.

It's your choice, but if I had daily nausea and anxiety with a 3 month old I would choose to stop piv sex for a while. Condoms are effective and I use them exclusively with no issues, but won't likely help with the anxiety about getting pregnant you have

Condoms here- since mid 20s (when I realised the pill sent me bonkers). My partner (husband now of 13 years) was the one who, early in our relationship, recognised hormones did not suit me and suggested I steer clear of them 🙈 accepting condoms would be it for the long term.

20 years together now, 2 planned pregnancies.

Used correctly every time (and that’s the key) condoms are about as effective as a pill. The gold standard re failsafe would be a coil (copper or Mirena).

Different strokes for different folks, excuse the pun. Also depends how catastrophic (or not) an unexpected pregnancy would be for you Vs side effects of hormonal contraception right now.

I v v occasionally think ‘I must get round to sorting a coil so we can drop the condoms’ but it’s such a non issue for us I promptly forget. I’m 45 now, I’ll maybe get round to a mirena coil in time for it to be useful for HRT 🙈

We used them for probably 25 years and had no unplanned pregnancies.

Think it means 1 in 50 women get pregnant in a year, if using condoms for a year. Obviously the individual risk would depend on lots of other things not least amount of sex! But also age, fertility, how careful they were with them

The good thing is it's usually obvious if one has split or fallen off and you can go and get the morning after pill. If the contraceptive pill fails you don't know until much later

I never suited hormonal contraceptives so used condoms from age 19 until DH got his vasectomy (when I was 30) . Only caught once because the condom fell off inside me. It ended up being a chemical pregnancy.

We tried using condoms after my DD was born, but 6 months in and it split and I had to get an emergency copper coil as the thought of getting pregnant was terrifying. 😅

It's all about correct use.
Men that think their dick will fall off if they don't buy the extra large ones that obviously don't fit properly and slip/leak.
Too tight = more chance of split.
The ones that 'just want to feel it properly for a few thrusts' before putting one on.
Using out of date/perishing ones.
Not putting them on right (e.g. age old putting on inside out then realising and putting on right way rather than grabbing a new one)
Not pulling out and cleaning up after finishing and again leaks around it.
People make silly choices when alcohol is involved.

Just as a note, the MAP won’t work if you’ve ovulated so not an effective back up if not tracking cycles/already ovulated. Just incase OP.

I've only ever used condoms and never had an issue. When I've tried to conceive, we've been successful on the first try each time, so definitely very (worryingly so!) fertile. I am very conscious about getting it on early on in proceedings and checking after for splits.