A lot has been said about safe sex, but almost invariably it’s related to the spread of venereal disease, but we shouldn’t forget why contraception was originally invented – to stop unwanted pregnancy.

A friend of mine and her husband are now trying for a baby. Obviously, the last thing they want, as swingers, is for the baby to be somebody else’s so my friend came to me for advice. “Would a condom be enough protection against pregnancy?” she wanted to know.

She’s previously been using the pill but has been off them for two months now. She’s hoping to become pregnant within a year.

As far as I can see, she has two alternatives. Either to stop swinging while they’re trying for a baby, or use another form of contraception ALONGSIDE condoms to be as sure as possible that nobody else’s seed is going to “hit home”.

The first alternative isn’t an option. As she said, she’s staying off the pill now for a while because they want three children and they’re going to let nature decide when they’ll arrive. That could mean many years without any swinging and knowing my friend and her hubby, that just wouldn’t happen.

So what’s left?

She wondered about the morning after pill. Perhaps she could take one after every swinging session? I didn’t recommend that, though, as the morning after pill has some very unpleasant side effects and CAN affect your ability to become pregnant otherwise if used too often. That leaves the contraceptive cap, otherwise known as a diaphragm. By using that, she’s greatly decreased the chances of another man’s seed “hitting home” but it won’t affect her ability to become pregnant otherwise.

If you’re in the same kind of situation, a cap might well be worth using. I know condoms are pretty safe but if it were me and Malc trying for a baby, I would want to know that the baby’s definitely his, too.

Sadie xx

~~+~~