Pregnancy
How Can I Tell if I’m Pregnant? (Sex Ed 101)
lisa, 18 writes...
I have a bit of a pregnancy scare. I am on birth control and have been for quite a while. We use condoms 90% of the time, I know it should be 100%, and believe me, I will make sure we do from now on. We had sex without a condom at the very end of my period, and the next day I got a bladder infection, so the doctor gave me antibiotics. Antibiotics make birth control inactive, so I am terrified the sperm may still have been alive in me and impregnated me. I threw up the other morning, I don't know if it is just from worry or if it is morning sickness, but I am just worried sleepless. When is the soonest I can tell if I'm pregnant? I know at home pregnancy tests are good 5 days before your missed period, but that is about 3 weeks away. Can doctors detect anything sooner? Thank you.Brittany says...
Chances are, you're not pregnant. You weren't on antibiotics at the time of you having sex, so I wouldn't worry about it. You're probably just worried and stressing, which possibly made you get sick. Aside from that, morning sickness isn't going to affect you that soon after conception. On that note... a doctor's pregnancy test isn't going to tell you if you're pregnant any sooner than one you take at home, they're just more accurate.
Tags: pregnancy, sex, condoms, antibiotics
So, Really, What are the Chances? (Sex Ed 101)
askaquestion, 19 writes...
My boyfriend and I had sex but he pulled out and there was very little sperm. He said that he wasn't done so he put it back in. I was wondering what are the chances I will become pregnant if I am not on the pill and if I was on the pill. Thank you.Brittany says...
Okay, before I even answer your question I'd just like to state two things. Sperm are the little guys that fertilize the egg. You cannot see them with the naked eye. Semen is everything - the protein, the sperm, and the nutrients. So when you say there was very little sperm, you really mean very little semen.
This "very little" amount of semen may just be what we know as "pre-cum" which can have sperm in it... and can get you pregnant if you're not using any form of birth control. The fact that he put it back in because he wasn't done is what leads me to believe it was some pre-cum you noticed... and you need to be more careful with that. You didn't say if you were using a condom, so I can't tell you what the chances of you being pregnant are right now, so I'm just going to assume you weren't using one. If you're not using a condom and his penis is inside you at all, and you're not on the pill - there is a chance you could be pregnant. If you had been on the pill and regularly taking it, the chance is very slim (less than 1%).
Wet and Dry Hands (Sex Ed 101)
wet/dry hand, 19 writes...
My girlfriend and I had sex but I accidentally touched her vagina outside and inside with my hand (forgetting that I had sperm on it). Could she become pregnant? My hands were somewhat wet and dry at that time. Thank youBrittany says...
Okay, I'm not sure I'm following how your hands could be wet and dry at the same time, or how you can accidentally touch somebody's vagina inside and out, but anyways... If you have semen on your hands (see this submission for more on the difference between sperm and semen), you can get somebody pregnant. It only takes one little, tiny, itsy bitsy sperm to wiggle his way up her vagina and into an egg to be fertilized... so if you notice that your hands are wet with semen, be a bit more careful and wash your hands! Aside from that, if you're a girl and you're having sex with another girl and there is no man in the question, you shouldn't be having semen on your hands, and therefore you shouldn't be worried right now.
What’s the Deal With Perfect Use? (Sex Ed 101)
WHat Are The Chances?, 2009 writes...
I've been reading online that the pill is up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, with perfect use. What exactly causes the pill to fail if you are using it perfectly and aren't on any medication? Great work!Brittany says...
What a great question! I actually didn't know the answer, so I did a little bit of research. It's tough to find information on why the pill would fail if you're using it perfectly, however, I found an article that talked about some things I didn't even know could cause the pill to not be as effective!
According to an article on Fox News, there are 5 things that can cause pills to be less effective. A few we already knew, such as not taking it at the same time, missing a dose, and antibiotics. But did you know that seizure medications can affect how it works? A generic form of the pill can be less effective too, because it has different levels of hormones than the name brand. And surprsingly, alcohol changes the effects, too, because alochol affects the liver, which is how the pill goes through your system.
I hope this helps a little. Most times that the pill doesn't work is because of something that the pill taker did, even if you don't realize it. If it's something you're legitimately worried about, using a condom with the pill is the best you can do without abstaining from sex.
Tags: pregnancy, sex, contraception, the pill, perfect use
Hymen, Pregnancies, and Holes, Oh My! (Sex Ed 101)
Mika, 17 writes...
My boyfriend snuck into my house last night and things just got so hot. We started doing stuff. Well I'm not supposed to have sex till I'm married and since we can't have sex, we decided to do something else. We decided to just rub his dick against my vagina and I think sperm came out of it and I'm SO scared I might be pregnant now. Can this happen? Can I get pregnant because of doing that? And I don't let him finger me much because I don't want my hymen to break yet, but yesterday when he was giving me head he put his finger into a hole. I don't know if it's my vagina or any other hole (is there any other whole near the vagina?) and when he did it, it hurt. Now I'm scared he broke my hymen. It didn't bleed though. Do you think its broken? In my culture I should have the hymen to prove I'm still a virgin and I'm so scared I am pregnant because of the rubbing we did. Please Help!! :(:(Brittany says...
Alright, well there are a few issues to tackle here, so I'll start from the top.
Sure, you can be pregnant. Is it likely? No. See, if you have a penis near your vagina, with semen on it... there's always a possibility that those little swimmers can find their way to a little egg waiting to be fertilized. Anytime two naked bodies and semen come in contact with each other, there is always a possibilty. Even if it's a tiny, tiny possibility (which in this case, it is), it is still a possibility. If you are not ready to deal with the consequences, abstain from doing something that could possibly get your pregnant.
Next thing to tackle... Your hymen. I understand some cultures look at the hymen as a way to prove you're still a virgin, but many other things can tear your hymen before sex. Participation in sports, horseback riding, and other activities can cause it to break and you would never know. Some women aren't even born with one that's intact! Aside from that, you probably won't feel your hymen breaking and you might not even bleed. Plenty of women don't.
And the third and final thing we need to touch upon is the anatomy of the female genitalia. It's my personal opinion that if you don't know your own body, you shouldn't be letting somebody else get to know your body... There are a few "holes" located in your genitals. Let's look at a diagram.
As you can see, you have your vagina (where the penis goes). You have the urethra (not technically a hole that anything should be going into - this is where urine is excreted). You also have your anus (where the feces is excreted). So, your boyfriend could have either placed his fingers in your vagina or your anus... he may have been rough, which is why it hurt. He may have used more than one finger, which is why it hurt. There are plenty of reasons why it could have hurt, even the theory that he broke your hymen. However, there isn't a way that you can tell on your own if your hymen is intact, that's something a doctor could tell you.
Tags: pregnancy, bleeding, vagina, hymen, sex, anus, virgin, pain
A Pregnancy Question (Sex Ed 101)
Lana, 19 writes...
This is a question sort of inspired by misstrinitybetch - She says that she had sex and then got her period the very next day, and that now she's happy because she's not pregnant. I've always thought that it is still possible to be pregnant if you got your period just after you had sex. Am I wrong in this? Great advice, as always!Brittany says...
Generally speaking, if you get your period after you have sex, you are not pregnant. And by "generally", I mean a large majority of the time. The day immediately before your period is a very unlikely time to get pregnant as it is because ovulation usually occurs halfway through a normal 28-day menstrual cycle (day 14). If the cycle is 30 days, that means ovulation would occur around day 15. On top of that, sperm has around 24 hours to fertilize an egg, so by getting your period a day later, the egg was probably not fertilized and therefore she's not pregnant. But as always, there are exceptions, since some women dont' have normal length cycles or they may not ovulation at that time for whatever reason. Even still, some people get their period for a few months, for whatever reason, and still are unaware that they are pregnant.
Tags: pregnancy, sperm, period, egg, mensturation, fertilization
Teen Pregnancy - Your Thoughts (U Tell Us)
Hey, everyone! Here are your submissions from this week’s theme! What do all of your friends on PPJs think about teen pregnancy? Do you agree with them? Read below to find out!
It Is Preventable
Teen pregnancy makes me sad, because it's so preventable! 16 year-olds are not supposed to be having babies, they're supposed to be in high school having fun. I have a 1 year-old niece, and when I got out to the mall or something with her, I get a lot of "looks" from strangers, and I feel judged because they think she's my daughter. It's also so tiring to take care of her all day. I can only imagine the life of a real teen mother. I think it's incredibly unrealistic to assume all teenagers will be abstinent until marriage, which is why it's so important to practice safe sex and be careful!
liza, 19 from Florida
The thing about teen pregnancy that annoys me is that it is 100% preventable! Of course, if you forget about birth control (which, incidentally, many future teen parents did...) abstinence is the safest way to go. However, something as simple as realistic Sex Education in schools is another great preventive measure. Simply telling teens "Don't have sex!" isn't going to help stop the spreading of STIs or teen pregnancy. Sex Ed that covers all options, abstinence AND birth control, is the smartest thing for teenagers. You wouldn't believe how many pregnancies happened because some kids thought "pulling out" was a real method of birth control! Another myth - you can get pregnant if you have sex standing up. Widely heard and often accepted ideas such as these that often lead to teen pregnancies could easily be debunked in the classroom. Realistically, teen pregnancy is going to happen, but it could easily happen less often if schools ditched the religiously guided Sex Ed curriculum and integrated new and improved methods of dealing with the sexually active generation of teens.
Jalice, 17 from Pennsylvania
It's a Big Deal
Teen pregnancy is a big deal. I'm speaking from first hand experience. I have a ten month old son. And not only am I a teen mom, I'm a single teen mom. His father has absolutely no participation in his life, at all. Don't get me wrong, my son is the most amazing thing that has every happened to me, I love him more than life itself, but there are so many things girls don't consider when they aren't being safe when having sex. I'm not going to sit here and tell people not to have sex at all, because I've been sexually active since I was 16, but if you're going to be sexually active at a young age, you should definitely be careful.
Meg, 19 from Pennsylvania
My Opinion
Leah’s comment: Teen pregnancy is a very common occurrence nowadays, which is sad and definitely preventable. I believe if you are going to be sexually active, you MUST use protection every time. Condoms, birth control - there are many other forms of protection that are accessible to almost everyone. And if something goes wrong, there’s the Plan B pill, which is not birth control but an emergency contraceptive. It’s not as reliable as regular birth control which is why you shouldn’t use it every time you have sex, but it’s a backup plan for those you are concerned with getting pregnant. I know many teenagers, mostly my friends who got pregnant at 15, 16 and 17, and their lives are changed drastically. Abstinence is the best option by far, but instead of preaching abstinence I’m going to tell you to always use birth control.
Secret Life of the American Teenager
If you have seen Secret Life of the American Teenager, you know what it's about, but I'm going to explain it just so people who don't know will know!
The show is about a girl, Amy, who has sex. It was only her first time, but she still got pregnant. In the first season, the show was circled around how hard it was for her in her day to day struggle to go to school and to be pregnant. But all around her, there was still drama going around with having sex. Basically, if you really look at it, the show is written around convincing teens not to have sex.
In the second season, Amy has the baby. It now shows her struggles of taking care of the baby. She is always tired and upset about how she can't do other things that normal high schoolers can do.
It really is a great show! Be sure to check it out!
(This show has a rating of PG – 13, so always get the “all – clear” from a parent if you are under 13.)
Next Time On U Tell Us:
Child beauty pageants. As you probably know, there are many beauty competitions out there. But how do you feel about children competing in them at as young as nine months old? Are you for it? Are you against it? Were you a child beauty pageant star? Submit, submit, and submit! See ya next time!
If you have any ideas for a theme you'd like to see, don't be shy, go ahead and submit it!
Tags: pregnancy, babies, teen, safe sex, abstinence, american teenager
Sex During Pregnancy (Sex Ed 101)
can you have sex, 19 writes...
Can you still have sex if you're 1 month pregnant? Can the penis break the egg off the woman if it's deep in?Brittany says...
You can have sex throughout your entire pregnancy, as long as you aren't uncomfortable. This reminds me of Knocked Up when the couple was having sex and Seth Rogan kept saying how he couldn't do it because he didn't want his penis to be whacking his baby's head. The penis will not ever cause harm to the baby and it's impossible for it to "break the egg off the woman". In fact, when a woman is due but not going into labor, doctors may even recommend that you have sex to induce it!
Period and Possible Pregnancy (Sex Ed 101)
lifes.good, 18 writes...
If you get pregnant a day or two before your expected period (let's say you have an irregular cycle), will you still have your period?Ivette says...
It's very unlikely to get pregnant two days before your period (even if you're irregular). Though, there is always the possibility that it might happen. Usually in a 28 day cycle, the first couple of days after your menstrual cycle, you enter a "Dry Period". As you get near the 15th day (when it's the most fertile) your vagina starts producing more discharge (the "Wet Period"), telling you your ovary is ready to release an egg. Between the 13th day to the 18th day, give or take, is when the risk of pregnancy is the highest. After your body goes into this "Wet Period" your body enters the dry period again. This means it becomes harder for sperm to reach the egg since it doesn't have the help of this humid mucous to impregnate you (this mucous also aids the egg to move through fallopian tube). Note: there still might be a chance that the sperms can reach it without the vagina's mucous helping. So, it is very unlikely you're pregnant if you had sex right before your cycle starts (since it's a "Dry Period"). Although, some women do have spotting when they get pregnant, it usually occurs after 2 weeks they had intercourse. Once you get your period, it's unlikely you're pregnant since this means your uterus is cleansing itself getting rid of the nutrients for that possible baby and depleting the egg. If your period is unusual, late or light, it doesn't hurt to take a pregnancy test. You can also see this video for further detail of what I explained!Tags: pregnancy, sex, advice, birth control, babies, condoms, periods, sex ed 101, ovulation
Pregnancy without a Period (Sex Ed 101)
not sure??, 18 writes...
Just a question. If you don't have your period you can't get pregnant right? Like my period is very irregular, so if I haven't had it in 2 months... I shouldn't be able to get pregnant, correct?Brittany says...
Actually... you can get pregnant when you don't have your period. You can even get pregnant before your first period! See, ovulation is what happens that will allow pregnancy. If an egg is available, sperm can find it. Since it's rather difficult to reliably find out when you're ovulating (and really, the time and effort it takes isn't worth it for pregnancy avoidance), most people don't know when they're ovulating. Your period is just a result of you not getting pregnant. When your body realizes the egg hasn't been fertilized, it sheds all the lining it built up just in case the egg needed something to attach to. This is why it's always important to take the necessary precautions to prevent pregnancy... and don't forget those nasty STD's!
Tags: pregnancy, periods, ovulation, missed periods