3 Ways to use Abstinence as a Form as Birth Control

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1. Always Effective

Abstinence is by far the best form of birth control that is available. If you do not engage in sexual intercourse, then you cannot get pregnant. Abstinence is a recognized form of birth control, which is defined as any act, drug or device that prevents pregnancy. An act of omission is just as acceptable as a direct act that calls for taking an action. Abstinence has the added benefit of reducing the odds of catching a sexually transmitted disease as well as protecting your feelings if you are rejected after sex. The pill, diaphragms and injections can work up to 99 percent of the time, but the only way to achieve 100 percent effectiveness is to refrain from intercourse.

2. Take Your Time

Chemistry works on the brain and the body when two people are attracted to each other and feel an urge to consummate a romantic intimacy. By allowing a situation to get out of control, many people cannot stop themselves from following through on the human impulse to procreate. The best way to remain abstinent is to control the situation. Do not be alone with your partner in a place where sex can happen unnoticed. It's easier to refrain from going all the way when other people are around. Stop kissing or fondling when you feel the situation escalating. If you put a stop to the physical intimacy when it first emerges, then it is easier to end. Do not allow yourself to fantasize about sex before you go on a date or know that you could be in a compromising situation. It will only serve to heighten your physical response time and make it more difficult to refrain from sex.

3. Make a Pact

When you are dating and want to choose abstinence as your form of birth control, then you should make your partner aware of your wishes. By setting a pact and forming an agreement, it will be easier to stick to your goals. While there is never an excuse for someone to initiate uninvited sex, signals can get mixed when one or the other in the partnership does not know the ground rules. Frustration and anger can result, thereby hurting an otherwise healthy relationship. Often you can form a deeper intimacy through conversation and by spending more time together than you can ever get from intercourse. While abstinence can keep you from getting pregnant, it can also be a valuable tool to form solid, long-lasting relationships.

About this Author

Linda Ray is an award-winning journalist that covers her subjects by participating in their activity. She's been seen hiking through steep trails to standing beside a surgeon in the operating room. Ray loves hiking and whitewater rafting.

Last updated on: 11/18/09

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