Condoms, birth control prove less effective than simple abstinence

Many college students want to enjoy the pleasure of sex without worrying about the responsibility of having a child. Several different methods of pregnancy prevention exist, each with its own set of pros, cons and level of effectiveness.

Lori Harlan, FertilityCare Practitioner Intern in Manhattan, said one of the most effective methods of pregnancy prevention in the Creighton Model of family planning.

FertilityCare is a national organization that employs individuals to teach the Creighton model throughout the country. In this method, the woman keeps track of changes in the cervical mucus, which Harlan said can identify both periods of fertility and infertility for the woman. Couples can then decide whether to have sex based on how likely it is that the woman would get pregnant. Thus, this model can serve as both a pregnancy prevention technique and a way to conceive when a couple is ready to have children.

"Many people think it doesn't work and everyone who practices natural family planning has twelve kids. But, looking at the research and recent evolution, it's effective," Harlan said. "It's a method that is honestly useful and gives every woman information that is good to know about their bodies."

Harlan said a 1998 research study of over 2,000 couples showed the Creighton model to have a 96.4% rate of effectiveness for couples who use the model.

Jeannie Gross, assistant director at Life Choice Ministries pregnancy testing center, said the best way to avoid pregnancy is to "not to put yourself in situations where you'll be vulnerable both emotionally and physically and engage in behavior that could lead to pregnancy."

Having sexual intercourse releases chemicals in the body that create permanent emotional connections, Gross said, which makes pregnancy one of the lesser worries of having sex.

Julie Gibbs, director of health promotion and nutrition counseling at Lafene Student Health Center, agreed with Gross and said the most effective method of preventing pregnancy will always be abstinence. However, Gibbs said many college students choose to be sexually active and for them, using condoms, birth control or a combination of the two is key to practicing safe sex techniques.

When using birth control, Gibbs stressed the importance of being consistent about using it; if it comes in a daily pill, take the pill at the same time each day and don't miss days. For condom use, Gibbs recommends using latex or polyurethane and always checking both the packaging and the expiration date before use.

"Condoms have a tendency to become more brittle and likely to break the closer they are to their expiration date," Gibbs said. "And the packaging can sometimes get little air bubbles, which can cause the condom to become brittle faster."

In addition, Gibbs stressed the importance of proper condom use; an improperly worn condom does not provide all the protection it is supposed to.

Whether heading out for a one-night stand or in the midst of a committed relationship, there's no denying that pregnancy is among one of the many factors to consider before having sex. Experts all agree that, while natural family planning, condoms and birth control can all be useful tools in preventing pregnancy, they do not prevent the emotional connections sex creates nor guarantee that all will go well after the fact.

After all, as Gross said, "there's no condom for your heart."