March 2020, study conducted by Trocando Fraldas with more than 3,600 Brazilian women between October and November 2019: Withdrawal is when the man removes his penis from the vagina before ejaculating, limiting the chances of sperm reaching the egg. It is a method that does not require much study to understand how it works, but it is an action that should be carefully considered before practicing due to the risks involved, such as diseases and even unwanted pregnancy.

Furthermore, this practice is not 100% safe, since not all sperm is released at the moment of climax. A study conducted by Princeton University in the United States warns that, to avoid unwanted pregnancy and the transmission of diseases, the best option is not to use this technique. The withdrawal method can, indeed, result in pregnancy! Even so, our study found that 33% of women do not know that the seminal fluid that comes out before ejaculation can lead to pregnancy. However, awareness of this fact is greater among women between 30 and 40 years old.

Withdrawal and Pregnancy

Some doctors see withdrawal as an inefficient method of birth control, and do not recommend the practice, since it can lead to issues in both men and women.

However, even knowing this information, men and women continue to practice it. As shown in the study, 2 out of 3 respondents have already used withdrawal as a contraceptive method. 44% of those interviewed have even practiced it outside of a stable relationship.

Have you ever practiced withdrawal?

  • 1 in 3 does not know that it is possible to get pregnant from the fluid that comes out before ejaculation during withdrawal.
  • On the other hand, 5 out of 8 women are afraid of getting pregnant by using this method.
  • This fear is regardless of the age of the respondents, and is much greater among women who do not want children, 83%.
  • 26% of those interviewed actually became pregnant after a cycle in which they used withdrawal.
  • 1 in 6 who became pregnant after withdrawal lost the baby or had an abortion.

Did you get pregnant after practicing withdrawal?

Reasons for Practicing Withdrawal

  • The main reason for using this practice is that 41% of interviewees do not like using condoms.
  • In 1 out of 6 cases, the partner imposes his will for not liking condoms.
  • The rejection of condoms is more common among younger age groups.
  • The evaluation of not needing a contraceptive method by women, and not needing condoms by men, increases significantly after the age of 40, although pregnancy is still possible.

For what reasons have you chosen withdrawal?

Pregnancies by State

In Brazil, sex education is not an easy topic to discuss. Because it is such a large country, cultural, religious, and political issues interfere with sexual education. Moreover, there are countless discussions about who is responsible for providing sex education: should it be the family or the school?

All these factors, along with the difficulty of information reaching states considered to be in the countryside, affect the percentages of withdrawal practice and pregnancy cases in the country.

  • Acre is the leading state for the technique, with 42% of respondents having become pregnant with this practice.
  • In São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, less than 25% of respondents became pregnant when using this technique.
  • In Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul more than 30% of women became pregnant with this practice.

Ranking of Unwanted Pregnancies by State

  • 1.Acre
  • 2.Mato Grosso do Sul
  • 3.Sergipe
  • 4.Mato Grosso
  • 5.Espírito Santo
  • 6.Amazonas
  • 7.Amapá
  • 8.Pernambuco
  • 9.Tocantins
  • 10.Rondônia
  • 11.Pará
  • 12.Alagoas
  • 13.Goiás
  • 14.Paraná
  • 15.Maranhão
  • 16.Rio de Janeiro
  • 17.Paraíba
  • 18.Piauí
  • 19.Ceará
  • 20.São Paulo
  • 21.Minas Gerais
  • 22.Bahia
  • 23.Santa Catarina
  • 24.Roraíma
  • 25.Rio Grande do Norte
  • 26.Distrito Federal
  • 27.Rio Grande do Sul

Practice of Withdrawal Across Brazil

  • Again, Acre is the leading state, with the highest number of people using withdrawal, 79%.
  • In Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso and Goiás, more than 70% of women have used this technique.
  • Meanwhile, in Espírito Santo, Amapá and Roraima, the number is low, and less than half practice the technique.

Rate of Withdrawal Practice by State

Research Methodology

The study was nationwide and involved approximately 3,600 respondents in October and November 2019. The data collection method used was a questionnaire via online form.

The following questions were addressed:

  • Have you ever practiced withdrawal (unprotected intercourse with ejaculation outside)?
  • Have you ever practiced withdrawal outside of a stable relationship?
  • For what reasons have you chosen withdrawal?
  • Were you afraid of becoming pregnant when using withdrawal?
  • Did you get pregnant after practicing withdrawal?
  • Did you know that the fluid that comes from the penis before ejaculation can cause pregnancy?

For the purpose of comparing results across regions and states, responses to affirmative questions were counted numerically, 1 for “yes” and 0 for “no”. Some questions, aiming for more qualitative results, were structured with more options.