What is the risk of pregnancy after following the withdrawal method and taking an oral contraceptive within 24 hours?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 42-year-old male. I have a question about unprotected intercourse with my wife for just a couple of minutes before I pulled out. We really do not want a pregnancy, but we are concerned about the possibility of precum containing sperm, even in such a short time. I did not ejaculate and I did not even feel like doing it outside due to stress. As a precaution, my partner took an emergency contraceptive pill within 24 hours. Her last menstrual cycle started on the 27th of the previous month, and we had intercourse on the 18th day of her cycle (on the 13th of this month). Are these considered safe days? We have limited knowledge on this topic, which is causing us worry about the possibility of pregnancy. Could you please provide guidance?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and understood your concern. Firstly, I would like to inform you that precum can be ejaculated without being noticed in many cases, and it can contain viable sperm that could lead to pregnancy. Considering your partner's intercourse on the 18th day of her cycle, and assuming a cycle length of 30 days, this falls around the time of ovulation. Also, emergency contraceptive pills might not be entirely effective during this period. One option is to wait for your partner's next expected period date. If it is missed, then you could consider taking a pregnancy test. Could you please provide the length of your partner's menstrual cycle? Is it around 28 or 30 days? I hope this has helped you. Kindly follow up if you have more doubts.

Thank you.