# How do so many people get pregnant from condoms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-so-many-people-get-pregnant-from-condoms/503153 "2009-07-15T21:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-so-many-people-get-pregnant-from-condoms/503153/41 "2009-07-16T17:54:12Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > I didn’t feel any semen coming out afterwards - I went straight to sleep. Most people, like me, probably don’t check condoms like that, since they assume they worked unless they have physical evidence (like a snapping sensation, say) to the contrary. I guess this might be a reason why so many condoms fail. I can’t imagine not pulling out carefully. I.e., a guy just withdrawing without making sure the condom is held as the base as it comes out would be improper use. For me, if I didn’t check, I might as well have had unsafe sex. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-so-many-people-get-pregnant-from-condoms/503153/42 "2009-07-16T18:35:17Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Yeah, well, they’re not made of silk. To tear latex rubber takes a fair amount stretching, and when it lets go, it snaps. I have had two breakages that I can think of. (fortunately no pregnancies from them.) One was like that, a snap and I felt it roll up like a windowshade. The other I didn’t feel at all. We finished up and when I went to withdraw all that was left was the ring at the base. We had to go “fishing” for the rest. I like to think I have become better at using them since then. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-so-many-people-get-pregnant-from-condoms/503153/43 "2009-07-16T20:45:15Z")
Thank you for starting this thread, \*\*Freudian Slit \*\*(and also for being clever enough to come up with an awesome user name). I lost my health insurance when I lost my job, and it’s been long enough now that my BC prescription ran out. We’ve switched to condoms. First time in years that I’m not “safe” all the time and it makes me nervous. I’m glad to have the links, etc. to more info. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-so-many-people-get-pregnant-from-condoms/503153/44 "2009-07-16T20:57:52Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > The practical result of heavy smoking for 50 years is a 17 per cent chance of lung cancer. That is deemed completely unacceptable. It doesn’t sound quite so bad when you put it that way, but you’re leaving out the risks of emphysema, heart disease, hypertension, oral cancers, etc. But what the hell- it makes me look cooler. 😉 > [@](#): > > Wouldn’t it be prudent to buy the morning after pill before you needed it? I mean, if you are a sexually active woman of child bearing age who doesn’t want to get pregnant, I would think a contingency plan would be something to think about before you need it. But, I am not a woman, so maybe I’m off base here. It’s contraindicated for some women - smokers with a family history of breast cancer, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-so-many-people-get-pregnant-from-condoms/503153/45 "2009-07-16T23:16:02Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Thank you for starting this thread, \*\*Freudian Slit \*\*(and also for being clever enough to come up with an awesome user name). I lost my health insurance when I lost my job, and it’s been long enough now that my BC prescription ran out. We’ve switched to condoms. First time in years that I’m not “safe” all the time and it makes me nervous. I’m glad to have the links, etc. to more info. Thanks, **purplehorseshoe** , I like your user name too. 🙂 I’ve used them for my primary BC a lot, mainly because I don’t like the side effects of the pill. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-so-many-people-get-pregnant-from-condoms/503153.md?page=2)