Men Dating Women - Dating Women on Birth Control

When women tell men they're dating that they're on birth control, the men take it as "green light." In other words, men dating women on birth control immediately think they're safe from all repercussions (read "baby") that can come from having sex. That's not true.

"You Can't Get Pregnant On Birth Control"

That statement is a myth. Hundreds of dating couples have learned that just because you're on birth control doesn't mean you can't pregnant. Women know this, but men don't seem to, so it's particularly important that men realize that fallacy and make sure they're prepared for the possibilities of what could happen.

Imagine for a moment, that you're Ben. You're 28 years old, unmarried, have a good job and a healthy sex life. One night, you're drunk and you have a sex with a woman you've been interested in for awhile. Since she rejects the condoms that are in your pocket, you assume she's on birth control. Five weeks later, you find out she's pregnant.

Ben's story doesn't end there. Ben proceeds to pursue different women that he's interested in dating, including on-again, off-again relationships with women he's dated in the past. One is on birth control, she's had an IUD (kind of like a shot, where the contraceptive is inserted into her and will last for awhile). She calls Ben up, a few weeks before the first baby is born and gives him the news: she's pregnant.

Ben is a sucker for trouble and starts dating a woman who has a son and has recently had her tubes tied. She can't get pregnant, for health reasons as well as physical reasons. It doesn't matter, she does anyway.

Ben has three children with three different women, not all of whom he was in a serious dating relationship with, two of whom were on some sort of birth control. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen. Married couples on birth control get pregnant. People who want to wait to start a family get pregnant. Couples who don't want their family to grow get pregnant. Men, when you're a dating a woman, be careful.

How Effective is Birth Control?

That's not to say that birth control doesn't work. However, when women start taking birth control, especially if it's an oral contraceptive, it takes time for it to work its way into her system. For the first couple of weeks, for instance, chances of pregnancy are greater. If you and the women you're dating don't want a baby, or don't want one yet, wait – or use condoms.

The chances of a condom failing are something like 3 percent. Birth control is slightly more accurate, with about a 99.9 percent success rate. However, if you're dating women who forget things, and might forget a pill, the chances of it failing are considerably greater. The 0.1 percent is a higher number than you might think. That means if there are 100,000 women on birth control, about 100 of them will have a baby. And that's if they're taking the pill regularly without missing a day.

What about the shot? The shot is still birth control and it's still going to not be quite as effective sometimes. There are other options, too and when you're dating someone, make sure you know that the two of you are protected. It's important for both men and women to remember that birth control does not protect from STDs of any kind.

How Birth Control Affects Women

But birth control affects more than whether or not you can have a baby. If you've been dating a woman for awhile and the two of you talk and decide paying for birth control is less expensive than buying condoms, be prepare for other changes. Birth control can cause weight gain and mood swings in women. Of course, some women see far more positive side effects. Her skin might become clearer or her period lighter.

All of these are because essentially birth control tricks women's bodies into thinking they're pregnant and that affects how they act and even how their body reacts. If you're dating a woman who is suddenly moodier and it's affecting your relationship, suggest she talk to her doctor: it might be the contraceptive. A different type of contraceptive or a different dosage might make the person you're dating happy and cheerful again. But there could be other effects.

Men dating women on birth control can create a sex life that is more fun and more open. But that doesn't mean that it's without its challenges. Women can't make babies alone, and if the women you date end up pregnant, and you're the father, you'll have to take some of the responsibility, even if it's only monetary compensation. Don't be like Ben. Remember that birth control isn't fail-safe and if the woman (or women) you're dating is on it, they can still get pregnant. Birth control can be very affective, but that doesn't make it 100 percent.