with or without a baby.
how you get pregnant
A woman gets her period usually once every 21-40 days. In between her periods, the woman ovulates (she releases an egg). If the egg makes a love-connection with any sperm, it gets fertilized and she might be pregnant. However, if the egg doesn't hook up with any sperm, the egg leaves the woman's body and she gets her period like usual--no pregnancy. Sperm leave a guy's body in his cum and pre-cum. In order to fertilize an egg, the guy must ejaculate the sperm inside the woman's vagina.
So, women are most likely to get pregnant around the time they release an egg. Ovulation happens around a week after your period until a week before your next period. But don't count on it! Your period might not be that regular, and ovulation can happen at any time, even during your period. Plus, sperm can live in a woman's body for days waiting for the egg!
So it's never "safe" to have sex (vaginal intercourse) without using birth control, like a condom for instance.
But what if...
We had sex during my period, could I be pregnant?
Yes. Even though this is the least likely time for you to get pregnant, it
does happen. Women can ovulate at any time, even during their period. And
menstrual blood can transmit HIV, so you should definitely practice safe
sex during your period.
No. Sperm can't swim through clothes and into your vagina! If you had sex in your jeans, shorts, underwear or bathing suit (dry humping), there's no way you can be pregnant.
He came outside my vagina, could I be pregnant?
Probably not. Sometimes, if the guy cums outside, but very near the
opening of the vagina, the sperm can swim their way inside. You risk pregnancy anytime his penis was inside your vagina. That's because guys don't always pull out soon enough before cumming and, even if they do, some
cum (precum) leaks out before orgasm.
We had sex without using birth control, now what?
If you had unprotected vaginal intercourse or your birth control failed (like the condom
broke) you can wait to see if your period comes on time and get a pregnancy test if it's late. Or you have five days (120 hours) from the time
you had sex to get the morning-after-pill (Plan B, Next Choice, or Emergency Contraception). If you are 17 years or older, you can buy Plan B at a drugstore without prescription. It costs between $35 and $55 at the drugstore. If younger, you need to get a prescription at a health clinic. Check the Emergency
Contraceptive website to find out more: www.NOT-2-LATE.com.
signs of pregnancy
- missing your period or having a very light short period
- tender and swollen breasts
- having to go to the bathroom a lot
- changes in mood and appetite
- "morning sickness" -- nausea or vomiting for no reason, especially when you first wake up
- wet spots (discharge) in your underwear
Signs of pregnancy are different for each woman. You may have none of these signs or all of them. Also, many women get these symptoms when they're about to get their period.
If you miss your period and think you're pregnant, get a test.
Don't wait too long! The sooner you know, the more choices you have: either to get an abortion in the first 3 months (the safest kind), or to get early health care if you decide to go through with the pregnancy.
pregnancy testing
Wait until your period is late before getting a pregnancy test. You can go to a health clinic or buy home tests in drugstores. If you buy a home test, follow the directions carefully. We suggest you go to a clinic for a simple urine or blood test for pregnancy. Free tests are done at most public health clinics. Watch out for bogus clinics, like Crisis Pregnancy Centers--they offer free tests, but are not real clinics. They hope to scare you out of choosing abortion if you don't want to be pregnant. It's your body and your choice to make! (See Abortion for more on bogus clinics.)
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prevent pregnancy by using birth control every time you have sex
it's not too late! get the "morning-after- pill"