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Are You "Late"—Or Is Your Partner?
How To Know For Sure, Who To Talk To, And What To Do To Prevent It In The Future
If you are sexually active, getting pregnant is a risk. Using protection and birth control is the best way to protect yourself from an unplanned pregnancy—but what happens if you miss a pill, if your condom breaks, or if you have unprotected sex? The pregnancy scare is a feeling of panic many young people know. What can you do if you're worried, and how do you reduce the chance that you and your partner will face this again in the future?
Pregnancy Test
If you or your partner think one of you may be pregnant, talk with a health care provider as soon as possible. This may mean visiting your regular doctor, or if you are more comfortable, going to a family planning clinic. You can get referred to a clinic in your area by calling the Planned Parenthood Hotline at 1-800-230-PLAN. If you are worried about how much it costs, be sure to ask whether they have free testing or a sliding scale for fees.
Click here for more information on pregnancy.
Emergency Contraception
If a condom breaks or a woman forgot to take her pill a few times this month, there is something you can do. But you need to act quickly. If you act within 72 hours, emergency contraception can help to reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 88 percent.
There are two dedicated emergency contraceptive products available today—Preven and Plan B. Both products require a prescription. Emergency contraception works by inhibiting or delaying ovulation, preventing fertilization, or preventing implantation of a fertilized egg. Unlike RU-486 (a medical abortion drug), emergency contraception does not interrupt or terminate an established pregnancy; it prevents pregnancy from occurring. That means if you or your partner are already pregnant, it won't work.
Emergency contraception can cause nausea for a day or so, but you can ask your provider to prescribe anti-nausea medication. It's also not foolproof—it only reduces your chance of pregnancy by 75 to 88 percent. Emergency contraception is for emergencies. In other words, it is not a reliable long-term birth control method and it does not protect against STDs—before or after its use. It also does not protect against future acts of intercourse, so it is important that you use another form of birth control if you have sex again.
Generally, emergency contraception costs $55 and upwards (the price includes examination for the woman, a pregnancy test, and the pills); costs can be less—or even nonexistent—at family planning clinics and health centers. To find a provider near you, you can call the Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-888-NOT2LATE.
Preventing a scare
Here's the non-negotiable fact: the only sure-fire way to guarantee that you don't get pregnant is to abstain from sex. But if you are sexually active, using a reliable method of birth control-or even better, combining a few reliable methods-is the best way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy. So, if you were worried, and your test came back negative, that doesn't mean you shouldn't re-evaluate some things, including your sexual decision making. Here are some questions to consider if you are sexually active, whether you are a guy or a gal:
·Have drugs or alcohol influenced my decisions to have sex or use protection or contraception?
·Do I use birth control or condoms every time I have sex?
·Do I / Does my partner know how to use condoms correctly?
·Have I talked with my partner about birth control and protection?
·How am I protecting myself against STDs, including HIV/AIDS?
Condoms are an excellent source of protection: they're inexpensive, easy to find, have high rates of success, and have the bonus effect of guarding against sexually transmitted diseases, which isn't true of any other form of birth control. If you learn how to use condoms and get in the habit of carrying them with you, you'll always have a protection plan for any scenario. Birth control pills are another highly dependable method of protection against pregnancy (but not STDs), as long as you (or your partner) are consistent about taking them regularly.
Click here for more details on your contraception options.
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