Q: Can I have safe sex with my wife without fear of conceiving a child and without using any type of conterceptive between two consecutive menstrual cycles?

A:The withdrawal method, medically called coitus interruptus, is another temporary method of birth control. In this method, the man withdraws his penis from the womanÆs vagina before ejaculating. However, this method has a high rate of failure for two reasons. Firstly, it does not provide satisfaction to the couple and secondly, a small amount of sperm may be ejaculated in the vagina before the penis is removed resulting in pregnancy. Rhythm method û in this method, the couple abstain from sex during the fertile period of the womanÆs menstrual cycle. In women who have a menstrual cycle of 28 days, the 14th-16th days of the cycle are the most fertile as it is during this time that ovulation (release of eggs from the ovaries), takes place. The days just after a period finishes are considered the safest. This method is not very reliable since most women do not have regular, predictable cycles. Though the above two methods may be effective in preventing conception, they may both prove ineffective, especially in the long term. Using contraceptive methods like condoms are the best ways to have safe sex.