Birth Control

“Not right now”

"Not right now"

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What is "not right now"? “Not right now” might be right for you if… How does “not right now” work? How much does “not right now” cost? What are the side effects and benefits to "not right now"? Where can you get it?

What is "not right now"?

“Not right now” as a method for pregnancy prevention means not having penis-in-vagina sex. That means no sex where your partner’s penis goes into your vagina, and no other sexual activities that involve your partner’s semen (the whitish fluid that comes out of their penis when they ejaculate) getting on your vulva.

A quick anatomy lesson: the vulva is on the outside, and the vagina is on the inside. The vulva is actually ALL the sexual parts that are on the outside of your body, including the clitoris and the inner and outer labia (sometimes called the inner and outer lips). The vagina is on the inside—you can’t see it. It’s the stretchy tube that connects your vulva to your uterus. Your vagina is what period blood comes out of, and it’s what tampons go into (as well as fingers, toys, and penises, if you want them to).

“Not right now” is super effective at preventing pregnancy, but only if you use it perfectly—and it’s not the easiest method to use perfectly. But if you never have penis-in-vagina sex, you’re guaranteed to not get pregnant. And if you’re avoiding sexual activity with a partner (like oral sex, anal sex, or sharing toys) altogether, you’ll be safe from STIs, too.

Lots of people who are planning to say “not right now” to prevent pregnancy ultimately end up having penis-in-vagina sex. If you don’t have another birth control method in place because you weren’t planning on having sex, it’s easy to find yourself deciding to have unprotected sex in the heat of the moment. It’s totally okay to change your mind and decide you want to have sex! Even if right now, you don’t think you’ll change your mind, it’s a great idea to have a birth control method on hand that you can use at a moment’s notice, like condoms or internal condoms, and to get emergency contraception ahead of time just in case you need it.

Quick Facts

If you don't have penis-in-vagina sex, you won't get pregnant. But you and your partner will need willpower.

Effectiveness

“Not right now” is 100% effective for as long as you’re not having penis-in-vagina sex. But that’s hard for a lot of people to stick to.

Perfect use: 100% effective

Typical use: Not enough data

What are perfect use and typical use?
Hormones

“Not right now” doesn’t change your hormones at all.
Side effects

“Not right now” has no side effects.
Cost

Free!
STI protection

If you’re not having any kind of sex with a partner, you’re not at risk of STIs. But if you’re having outercourse, oral sex, or anal sex instead, you will still be at risk of STIs.
Ongoing effort

Both you and your partner need to have a lot of self-control.

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“Not right now” might be right for you if…

You want a method of pregnancy prevention with no hormones.

Saying “not right now” is a way of preventing pregnancy that is hormone-free.

You’re willing to put in a lot of effort for your birth control method to work.

Saying “not right now” only works as a birth control method if you do it consistently, so it can take a lot of self-control.

If you are super committed and never have penis-in-vagina sex, “not right now” is 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. Keep in mind though that for most people, never having sex is not something they can stick to for the long term, and the LEAST effective birth control method is having sex with no birth control method at all.

So having a backup plan for birth control that you can use if you find yourself about to have unprotected sex is super important. You may not ever need them, but it can’t hurt to keep some condoms and emergency contraception on hand.

You feel comfortable talking to your partner(s) about sex.

Choosing not to have penis-in-vagina sex in order to prevent pregnancy requires open communication with any partner(s) about what sexual activity is okay with you (if any) and what’s not. So you’ll need to feel comfortable talking in detail about sex.

You’re willing to get creative.

Even if you’re saying “not right now” to penis-in-vagina sex, you can still have outercourse. Outercourse is sexual activity (like using hands, mouths, and toys to provide genital stimulation) that doesn’t involve penetration or contact between the penis and the vulva, and it can’t cause pregnancy. Anal sex also can’t cause pregnancy as long as you make sure no semen gets on your vulva.

Just remember that you can still get or pass on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through outercourse. If STI prevention is something you’re looking for, you can use condoms, internal condoms, dental dams, and/or gloves, depending on what kind of sex you’re having. You may also want to consider PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), which is a daily pill or an injection you can get every two months to decrease your risk of getting HIV.

You’re looking for a super affordable method of pregnancy prevention.

Not having penis-in-vagina sex is free (unless you decide to go out and buy a lot of sex toys instead)!

How does “not right now” work?

If you’re using “not right now” as your method, it simply means you’re not having penis-in-vagina sex. And if you decide to start having penis-in-vagina sex, that’s totally cool, too. Just make sure you’re protected with another form of birth control if you don’t want to get pregnant, and that you have a plan for STI protection, like using a condom.

Tips for making “not right now” work:

Find people you can talk to about your decision and lean on for support.
Talk about your decision with your partner before you’re in the heat of the moment.
Be totally straightforward and clear when talking about your limits.
If you want, you can explore other sexual activities you might enjoy just as much.
Keep in mind that it might be harder to stick with “not right now” if you’ve been drinking or using drugs.

How much does “not right now” cost?

Not having penis-in-vagina sex is free!

What are the side effects and benefits to "not right now"?

Every method of birth control has positives and negatives. And everyone’s different, so what you experience may not be the same as what someone else experiences.

The Positive

There are lots of things about birth control that are good for your body as well as your sex life. Here are some of the benefits of using “not right now”:

It’s free.
If you aren’t having any type of sex, you are not at risk for STIs either.

The Negative

“Not right now” doesn’t have any side effects, but there are some disadvantages:

It can be difficult to keep up over time.
It might be hard to stick to your plan if you’ve been drinking or using drugs.

Where can you get it?

You don’t need to go anywhere to get started with not having sex. But you do need to talk with your partner before sex so that they know this is the form of birth control you’re choosing to use.