Coitus interruptus

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Coitus interruptus or withdrawal is an unreliable method of contraception in which, during sexual intercourse, the man removes his penis from the woman's vagina just before he reaches orgasm. That way, the ejaculation of semen is not in the vagina but elsewhere. This method has been widely used for at least 2,000 years and was used by an estimated 38 million couples worldwide in 1991 (Population Action International).

In practice, after removing his penis from the vagina, the man will often ejaculate on the woman's body instead.

Used by itself, this method is unreliable, because of the difficulty of controlling the process of ejaculation. It has been suggested that the pre-ejaculate ("Cowper's fluid"), which has a lubricatory function, contains spermatozoa (sperm cells), and is easily drawn into the vagina by capillary action. However, modern research suggests that in fact there are no live sperm in the fluid, and the primary cause of failure of this method of contraception is the lack of self-control of those using it: interrupting just at climax can be psychologically difficult, as it goes entirely against instincts and reflexes all designed to encourage procreation by encouraging ejaculation to occur deeply within the vagina. It is also largely ineffective in the prevention of STDs, since pre-ejaculate may carry viral particles or bacteria which may infect the partner should the fluid come in contact with mucous membranes. However, a reduction in the volume of bodily fluids exchanged during intercourse may reduce the likelihood of disease transmission due to the smaller number of pathogens present.

The advantage of coitus interruptus is that it can be used by people who have religious objections against or do not have access to other forms of contraception. It has no cost, requires no artificial devices, has no physical side effects, and can be practiced without a prescription or medical consultation. The disadvantage, as stated, is that it can be unreliable.

The Bible may be describing this method in the story of Onan.

According to a widely circulated joke, the obstetrics and gynaecology nurses' argot term for a woman relying on "the natural method" is "mother". In actuality, being educated about different forms of natural methods and combining them can improve the effect. According to Emory University, withdrawal has a typical failure rate of 19%. However, for the couples that use this method correctly, the failure rate is 4% [1]. In comparison the pill has a first-year failure rate of 5%, which drops to about 0.1% if used correctly [2] while the diaphragm has a typical user failure rate of 20% and a perfect user failure rate of 6% [3].

This method has many nicknames, the most popular of which is "the Hail Mary" due to its low rate of success as well as its connotations for use in the Catholic community, even though the Catholic Church considers this practice as a form of masturbation. The dated Australian slang term 'getting off at Redfern' derives its meaning from the location of Redfern's CityRail suburan train station, which is situated one stop from Sydney's Central railway station. A number of CityRail suburban train lines pass through Redfern en-route to Central, making Redfern the second-last stop for many commuters. To 'get off at Redfern', therefore, means to interrupt one's journey just before completion.

References [edit]

Population Action International (1991). "A Guide to Methods of Birth Control." Briefing Paper No. 25, Washington, D. C.
Rogow, Deborah, and Horowitz, Sonya. (1995). "Withdrawal: A Review of the Literature and an Agenda for Research." Studies in Family Planning. Vol 26, No 3 (May-June 1995), pp. 140-153.

Birth control edit
Sterilization:	Tubal ligation, Vasectomy, Essure
Post-intercourse:	Emergency contraception • Abortion: Surgical, Medical, Herbal/Drug
Intra-uterine:	IUD, IUS (progesterone)
Anti-estrogen:	Ormeloxifene (a.k.a. Centchroman)
Hormonal:	Combined: COCP ('the Pill'), Patch, Nuvaring Progestogen only: POP mini-pill, Depo Provera, Norplant, Implanon
Barrier:	Condom, Diaphragm, Shield, Cap, Sponge, Spermicide
Behavioral:	Coitus interruptus, Fertility awareness, Rhythm Method, Lactational Avoiding vaginal intercourse: Anal sex, Oral sex, Outercourse, Masturbation, Abstinence