If you think back to your 8th grade sex ed class, you'll probably remember being told that that pulling out is not a form of birth control. Your young self was severely warned that having sex, even without ejaculating, put the woman at a huge risk for pregnancy. Well, new research suggests that might not be true.

A recent study published in the June issue of Contraception Magazine presents findings that the ?Pull Out? method of birth control rivals the use of condoms. Published by sex researcher Rachel K. Jones and based on several studies and data from the Guttmacher Institute, the study indicates that ?pulling out? before ejaculation is nearly effective as condoms in preventing pregnancy ? calling the method ?only slightly less effective? than condoms.

According to the study:

If the male partner withdraws before ejaculation every time a couple has vaginal intercourse, about 4% of couples will become pregnant over the course of a year. However, more realistic estimates of typical use indicate that about 18% of couples will become pregnant in a year using withdrawal. These rates are only slightly less effective than male condoms, which have perfect- and typical-use failure rates of 2% and 17%, respectively.

It's long been thought that pre-ejaculate fluid contains sperm, but the new study disputes the evidence for this. The researchers also found that withdrawal as a birth control method was relatively common among younger women in the U.S.

The researchers also believe that:

some couples rely on condoms during the woman?s perceived fertile period and withdrawal during her perceived ?safe? period, suggesting a sort of ?triple? method use over the course of a month?condoms, withdrawal and some variant of calendar/rhythm.

So maybe withdrawal isn't such a bad birth control method after all, especially if both you and your partner have been tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Of course, as any guy will tell you, the hardest part of the "pulling out" method is the actual pulling out. You've got to have nerves of steel to pull out when it feels so good.

photo credit: Violet1980