Dear Acid_Angel,

Yes, it is possible for a woman to get pregnant — or get a sexually transmitted infection — even if a guy doesn't ejaculate inside of her.

Withdrawal, or "pulling out" before ejaculation, is not a recommended form of birth control for teens for several reasons:

• Some men lack the experience and self-control to pull out in time.
• Some men have been known to say they will pull out, and then they get so excited and carried away that they don't.
• Some men cannot tell when they are going to ejaculate.
• Some men ejaculate very quickly, before they realize it.
• Before ejaculation, almost all penises leak fluid (called "pre-ejaculate" or "pre-cum") that can cause pregnancy.

Only the latex or female condom can reduce the risk of both pregnancy and infection during vaginal intercourse. Teens who are sexually active need to make decisions about birth control. When two teens decide to have a sexual relationship, it's important for them to be open and honest, so that they can agree on ways to protect themselves.

You might want to think about whether this is the person you want to have sex with if he isn't willing to protect both of you from pregnancy and infection by wearing a condom. You might want to consider talking to your partner about why he won't wear one and explain to him that it's important that partners take care of each other by using protection. That is one way we can show we care about someone. Or you may want to consider some other kind of sex play instead of vaginal intercourse.

If a woman is worried that she might be pregnant, the first thing she needs to do is find out for sure if she is — by either taking a home pregnancy test or by going to a health clinic for confidential testing. Women who use home pregnancy tests need to be sure to follow exactly the directions on the package.

Call 1-800-230-PLAN to schedule an appointment for a pregnancy test at a Planned Parenthood near you.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.