How effective are condoms alone at preventing pregnancy?

The US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports that for every 100 couples that use male condoms alone, 18 of those couples will experience a pregnancy any given year. So…a pregnancy rate of 18%. Doesn’t sound so great, right?

Here’s the deal. As with most birth control methods, their efficacy is dependent on how appropriately you use them. These numbers take into account those couples that do NOT use the condom appropriately (causing the condom to break or semen to get into the vagina).

Want to reduce that percentage? Use condoms correctly. That means choosing the right size, not doubling up, avoiding oil-based lubes and removing carefully.