How effective is the pull out method?

Layer it: withdrawal plus condoms or a hormonal method covers each other's failure modes.
Know the 78%: typical use means about 22 pregnancies per 100 couples per year.
Urinate first: peeing between ejaculations clears leftover sperm from the urethra.
Use condoms for STIs: withdrawal offers no infection protection.
Keep a backup plan: emergency contraception works up to 5 days after a slip.

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The pull out method, also called withdrawal, is about 78% effective with typical use: roughly 22 out of 100 couples relying on it for a year will see a pregnancy. With perfect use every single time, effectiveness rises to about 96%, but perfection is hard because withdrawal demands flawless timing during sex, every time, with no exceptions. Two things make it unreliable in practice. First, pre-ejaculate can pick up sperm left in the urethra from a recent ejaculation, so pregnancy is possible even when withdrawal is executed correctly. Second, the method fails exactly when timing fails, and timing fails in the moment. It also does nothing against STIs. That said, withdrawal is free, always available, and hormone-free, and it is meaningfully better than nothing. It works best in two situations: as a backup layered onto another method (condoms, the pill, the ring), where the combination covers a slip, or for couples who would accept a pregnancy without disaster. If pregnancy would be a serious problem for you right now, withdrawal alone is the wrong primary method: the implant, IUD, pill, patch, and ring all beat it decisively. Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex if the method failed.

How effective is the pull out method?

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