What is the purpose of being on birth control pills when you are also using condoms? Or, is the idea to pitch the condoms and pray the pills work? (Apologies if this question is incredibly dumb, I'm new to all this.)

First of all the pill is the most effective form of contraception (if used properly)..and the condom is the most effective way to prevent STD's..used together you are being proactive in both preventing pregnancy and disease..do not stop using either..

Don't pitch the condoms, and don't ditch the pill. Never a bad idea to have more than one type of protection. The pill can (and does) fail--I have a 7-year-old to prove it. The pill does not protect against diseases. Condoms help to prevent diseases, but let's face it, they break. Even if you are in a monogomous relationship, it will not hurt a thing to have that condom for disease protection because even people who are "supposed" to be good CHEAT, thus running the risk of bringing disease to the party. Example: QUICK!! How many pastors or otherwise "upright" church leaders can you think of recently who have gone astray sexually? (If you haven't been paying attention, hop on a search engine or CNN and make use of ye olde search box).

BCPs don't aid in the prevention of STDs and condoms break.

Birth control pills don't stop STDs...

the pill is a high % but not 100 and condoms are also a high % but not 100. plus if a person sleeps around they will first off not want to get pregnant and secondly not want to give/ contract a disease.

Its okay your not dumb!
Being on BC pills stops pregnancy.
You should still use condoms because that helps protect against vinereal diseases. If you and your partener were both virgins when you did it and youve both only been with each other, then you will be okay to drop the condoms. But dont even think about not using them if that is not the case.

sometimes when you are on other medications it can lower the effectiveness of the bc, and you need to use condoms as a back up method, thats one reason. I have epilepsy and i have to take medication on a daily basis and the seizure meds lower the effectiveness of the birth control so my boyfriend and i have to use condoms as well.

The pill (even the stronger version) only has about a 98% rate of prevention of impregnation, condoms have about 90%. You can never be too careful.

tell him if you still want to take the pill its your choice, and its also your choice if you want him to wear a condom for extra safety. if he doesnt like it bad luck. i was a 'pill baby' (conceived on the pill) and i know a few of my friends that have had pill babys. its up to you if you want to risk it or not, not him.

To elaborate a little, I got my pills not only for backup in case any condom breakage occurs, but also so I could give my honey, who is clean and I am planning on being with for quite a while, a little 'raw play' without worry. I told him I was still a little worried about the pills' reliability by itself since I've heard of many people conceived on the pill (I'm planning on long-term but not quite as long-term as a baby!! o_O), and he asks "Then why are you taking pills at all?"

So, thoughts?

Also, if it helps, I've taken my pills very regularly so far.

same reason you have:
a gun and a dog
an inner and outer wall around your castle
a spare tire and AAA membership
an umbrella and a rain coat
it's called DOUBLE THE PROTECTION
the condom is an effective means of both birth and disease control, however it is not 100% fool proof
the pill is an effective means of birth control, but also not fool proof
together they are nearly 100% fool proof birth control
and even if you depend on the pill for your primary birth control protection, IT DOESN'T DO SQUAT FOR HIV/AIDS thats where the latex comes in.

If you use condoms as well as the pill it will keep you MUCH safer from pregnancy and infection and disease. So my advice is to use both.

condoms can always break...if it does at least u will be on the pill to protect you just in case...also the pill doesn't protect you from std's condoms do...

I think it is a smart idea because I've been on the pill for the last year and just found out I am 6 weeks pregnant and I took it same time everyday when my alarm went off and I never missed one...So yeah my suggestion is use both...

I would keep both. I was on the pill and still got pregnant due to I was lacking some kind of hormone to make the work. Go figure. So if I had been using a condom wouldn't have a child. Also some medications can cause the pill to not work. So keep the condom and the pill.

Birth control pills are 90% effective whereas condoms are 72% effective. If used together, they would be 99% effective. +4

get an IUD vs. the pill, they are effective for 10 years with no horomones and just a little heavier period for the first few months.. not too expensive either.. and by the way condoms are to prevent awful stds, got it..? be careful and wise.

pills dont protect you from STD's! If I had to chose only one of the two, he'd be using condoms. Gettin pregnant is nothin compared to gettin HIV!

The pill is meant for long term relationships in which both partners are clean.

Condoms are for one night stands, short relationships, booty calls, or relationships where one or both partners have STD's.

the pill stops pregnency, condoms stop sexually transmitted infections. use both.

don't be silly, cover your willy
take the pill, or you'll have a baby (couldn't think of a rhyme sorry)

Condoms are not 100% effective. We used to joke that...what does one call catholics who use the rhythm method? The answer...Parents.

Condoms are not much better.

Fact! Kids will have sex. Disease will be communicated. The best one can hope for is chlamydia. One in 4 males show no symptoms.

I wonder what ever happened to...waiting?

Oh! I remember, we are the N O W society.

If i want it...I want it now! Me Me Me, Now Now Now, I I I, I must be indulged.

That's what happened.

Double 'protection'.