Coitus Interrupts:

This method, which literally means interrupted sexual intercourse, is perhaps the oldest method of contraception known to mankind.

It requires a man to withdraw his penis from the vagina just before his semen is ejaculated, so that the semen is not deposited in the vaginal canal. This method is also known as the withdrawal method.

The main advantage of this method is that it does not call for any preparation or equipment and, of course, it does not cost anything.

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Its main disadvantage is that it creates a certain amount of tension in both the partners, for the effectiveness of the method depends on the efficiency with which the male partner is able to withdraw at the right moment.

As pointed out by Guitmacher: “If he fails by even a split second to withdraw before ejaculation, the possibility of pregnancy is great. Depositing even a drop of semen in the vagina may cause pregnancy, since the first few drops contain the great concentration of spermatozoa.”

When well understood and practiced correctly by highly motivated couples, however, this method is found to be fairly effective.

Condom:

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The condom, first described by Fallopins, an Italian anatomist, in 1564, is known by several names, the most common among them being “French letter.” In India, the brand name for condoms, subsidised by the Government, is Nirodh.

The condom is made of vulcanised rubber and provides a covering for the penis. The main advantages of the condom are that it is cheap, easily available, reliable harmless and may be used without medical supervision.

Some couples, however, object to the use of the condom from the aesthetic point of view.

Male Sterilisation or Vasectomy:

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This is a simple operation which involves tying, cutting and removing portions of the vas deferential, the tubes which carry the sperms from the testes. Vasectomy is a quick operation which may be carried out under local anesthesia, and recovery from the operation is generally quite rapid.

It does not affect the libido or the ability to participate in sexual intercourse. It may be noted that, after vasectomy, a man should have about ten ejaculations before his semen is completely free of sperms.

It is, therefore, absolutely essential for a couple, when the husband has been vasectomies to use some contraceptive method for some time, or till the semen sample is found to be negative for sperms.

Though advancements in surgical techniques have now made it possible to reserve this operation through a decimalization of the vas, vasectomy, for all practical purposes, is to be understood as being a permanent method of conception control.