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COULD I BE PREGNANT???

What's a dental dam and how do you make one? Click here!

Do I still have chlamydia if I had oral sex while taking the medication?
I have a copper IUD.  Is excessive thick yellow discharge normal?
Can I get pregnant if I had sex the day before IUD removal and I ovulated the day after?
Can I get pregnant if I had sex on my last two sugar pills and started a new pack early?
I think my vagina is very small. Should I be worried that I cannot fit a tampon inside it?
My period is late but the pregnancy test reads negative- what's going on?
How risky is it for my boyfriend to ejaculate inside of me if I'm on birth control?
I have symptoms after oral sex. I don't know what to do and can't turn to anyone. Please help.
Is it ok, to have an annual pap smear, like a day or so after your menstrual period?
Emma Goldman once refused an operation for a condition related to her fertility. What was it?
Can I get a pap smear at school?
Can I get pregnant after having an abortion?
 

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Remember, if you have a question that needs immediate attention, contact your health care provider.
 

“What if I had chlamydia and while I was taking the medicine to cure it I had oral sex with my boyfriend while we both were on our medication. Do I still have it?”
      -Anonymous, Chicago, IL

Chlamydia can be passed through oral sex, so if the antibiotics you were taking had not yet cured your infection you or your partner could have exchanged the infection through oral to genital contact.  An oral chlamydia infection typically results in a sore throat, so you should see your health care practitioner if you or your partner exhibit any symptoms.  And remember, it's always a good idea to protect yourself and your partner during oral sex by using condoms and dental dams.
      -Emma


”Four months ago I had a copper IUD fitted is it normal that I now have excessive thick yellow discharge its not offensive smelling and I have no itching or other symptoms.”
      -Katy

Having an IUD placed may cause changes in your body's vaginal discharge.  These changes may include color, consistency, and/or the amount of discharge your body produces.  If you begin to notice an odor, itchiness, pain, or burning associated with these changes you should consult your health care practitioner. 
      -Emma


”If I had sex the day before I got my IUD out, and I ovulated the day after, could I get pregnant? Would the sperm still be alive and able to get me pregnant?”
      -Janet, Birmingham, AL

Once an IUD is removed it is safe to assume you are no longer protected against pregnancy.  Although it may take some women several months to return to their natural cycles and to regain their fertility, other women could potentially become pregnant much sooner.  If you had intercourse the day before your IUD was pulled there could have still been live sperm in the vaginal and the potential to become pregnant, although small, does exist.  If you want to take a pregnancy test, it should be accurate approximately ten days from possible conception. 
      -Emma


”Hi Emma I have been on birth control for 7 years now straight. Recently I was on my last 2 sugar pills, and I knew me and my bf were going to end up having sex, so I started a new pack just a few hours before sex.  And I have continued since that day, without missing.  Do you think I am safe since I have been on it for so long, or do you think 6 hours wasn't enough time for it 2 be in my system?.. Could I be pregnant?”
      -Andrea

Women who take birth control pills correctly and consistently are 97-99.9% protected against pregnancy even while they are taking the placebo (sugar) pills at the end of their pack that have no hormones in them, so you didn't need to start a new pack before having sex. 

However, starting a new pack earlier than you were scheduled to probably won't have increased or decreased the effectiveness of the pills.  Even so, birth control pills should always be taken exactly as prescribed unless you have spoken with your prescribing practitioner about alternate regimens. 

In addition, the fact that you have used pills as a birth control method for a number of years does not give you extra protection.  Each time you begin a new cycle and a new pack of pills you have a new opportunity to prevent or create a pregnancy.  You should take a pregnancy test if you begin exhibiting symptoms or miss your next period.
FYI - If you are having sex, there’s always a *chance* of pregnancy – however, if you are on birth control, you increase your protection and pregnancy prevention when you use that method consistently and correctly- and  see more about pills here).
      -Emma



”I am 20 years old and have been trying to use a tampon for awhile now with no success. I took a mirror and saw that my vagina is very small; I could hardly fit anything larger than a Q-tip in there, though the Q-tip slid in just fine. Should I be worried?  I am not sexually active. “
      -Anonymous, IL

Although the vagina may appear quite small from the outside, the tissue surrounding the vaginal opening is very elastic.  Similarly, the vaginal canal can open and stretch and should be able to easily accommodate a tampon with a little more practice. 

If you'd like to use tampons instead of pads during your period, there are several things you could try. 

First, you could try feeling for your vaginal opening and canal with your finger so you know exactly where to insert the tampon and how to angle it.  Most women will need to angle a tampon with the tip pointing toward their back in order to insert it easily.   Thin tampons and tampons with rounded plastic applicators may be easier to insert.  You could also try putting a small amount of lubricant on the outside of the applicator to help it slide in more easily.  Try not to get stressed if you're still having difficulty; the more relaxed you are the more likely you are to be successful.  If you are still unable to insert the tampon after several tries or if it becomes painful for you at any point, consider consulting your health care practitioner.
      -Emma

"I have a period that is late by two weeks but the pregnancy test I took reads negative."
      -Anonymous

There are lots of things that can cause a period to be irregular.  Pregnancy is always a good thing to rule out first and you should consider taking a second pregnancy test if you miss another period.  Other factors that can influence when and if you get a period could be major life changes like getting a new job or moving, stress, nutrition, exercise, changes in birth control, or some sort of underlying health problem.  Although many women have irregular periods or miss one occasionally you should see a practitioner if you miss a second period or start having other symptoms such as abdominal pain or abnormal vaginal discharge.
      -Emma


"Hello Emma. My current circumstance is this: my boyfriend of almost three years and I recently decided to have sex. I am on birth control and he uses a condom. We have been extremely careful and really educated ourselves on practically everything (ranging from what days of my cycle am I most fertile to contraceptives that will work for us to causes and effects to literally everything). I hope just saying that won't contradict what I ask you. Basically my question is if I know exactly when I ovulate and know how to tell when I'm finished ovulating, how risky would it be if he ejaculates inside of me during intercourse (keeping in mind I'd still be on birth control)? Do you still not recommend that kind of sex even though I'm on birth control and not ovulating? We really just want to experience how it feels, but obviously don't want to risk too much. Again, hope I didn't contradict myself, but I can read others' questions and answers online all day, but I won't feel better about it until my own question can be answered. Thanks for any help!"
      -Anonymous

Birth control pills, when taken correctly, are between 98 and 99 percent effective.  "When taken correctly" means that you take your pill every day at as close to the same time of day as possible.  It is also important that you not be taking antibiotics that could interfere with the effectiveness of the pill and that you do not currently have digestive problems (like vomiting or diarrhea) that could hinder absorption.  Although birth control pills can fail occasionally, when taken correctly they are highly effective at preventing pregnancy.  Remember, though, that condoms are the best way to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
      -Emma

“I’m 13, I haven't had sex but I have had oral sex, I have noticed little white blisters and when something’s inserted into my vagina it really burns, I really don't know what do to, I can't turn to anyone because I’m scared of what they'll say or think. Please help.”
      -Anonymous, Harthill, Lanarkshire

Since we cannot diagnose anything over the internet, we would encourage you to be seen by a medical professional so you can be properly diagnosed and treated for these symptoms. The symptoms you are experiencing may or may not be sexually transmitted, but it is always important to use protection (ie condoms, dental dams) when you have sexual contact, oral, vaginal, or anal.  Being open with your practitioner about your sexual history will help him/her make an accurate diagnosis.  To find a clinic near you, you could try searching in the phonebook or online for "gynecology" or "family planning."  Clinics in your area should be able to answer any questions you have regarding your symptoms as well confidentiality concerns. 
     -Emma

“Is it ok, to have an annual pap smear, like a day or so after your menstrual period?”
      -Tina, Minneapolis, MN

It is best to have a pap smear at a point in your cycle when you are not bleeding.  In a pap smear, sample blood cells can obscure cervical cells and make the test difficult for the lab technician to read. 
       -Emma
 

“I had unprotected sex on Friday but my boyfriend didn’t cum in me. I have been taking amoxicillin with my birth control pills. Since then I had unprotected sex on Sunday and this time he came in me, I got the emergency pill on Monday. What are the chances of me being pregnant?”
      -Samantha

From what you’ve told me, I’m not sure if I’m clear on what you mean by "unprotected sex" - whether you mean sex without a condom while you were on the pill or sex with absolutely no protection (no condom AND no birth control pills, which is how I use the term).
If you are having sex without condoms while taking pills, you are 97-99% protected against pregnancy, whether or not a guy cums in you, so you would be having relatively protected sex if you are on pills. We do always recommend condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections (plus, they add another method of protection against pregnancy). 

There are things that can decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills, and antibiotics are included in that list. Amoxicillin is an antibiotic and antibiotics can indeed decrease the effectiveness of your pills – we tell clients here that if they are taking antibiotics, to use a backup method like condoms for the duration of the antibiotics and a full 7 days afterwards. Just to be safe.  The reason for this is because the antibiotics can cause the pills to be less effective, which means that you could ovulate, and thus you can become pregnant if you have unprotected sex. It is OK to have sex while on antibiotics as long as you use condoms and use them correctly.

If you had sex when you weren’t on the pill, emergency contraception (EC) is your second chance at birth control when used asap and within 5 days of unprotected sex. We can’t tell you the chances of being pregnant – only that it’s lower the sooner you take EC after unprotected sex.  A pregnancy test should be accurate within about 10 days of a sexual encounter.
     -Emma

“RE: Emma Goldman
I am reading her (Emma Goldman's) autobiography as part of my graduate study. She reports excruciating pain in her spine, legs, abdomen and head during menses. She also reports that she was examined by a medical doctor who informed her that she could not conceive unless she had an operation. Emma refused the operation. What was Emma's condition? 
Dysmenorrhea... but what about the infertility?  I appreciate anything you can tell me.  Thanks.”
      -Diane, PA 

Without other information, it would not be prudent to guess a diagnosis.  I would suggest you ask this question of the Emma Goldman Papers, an archive of her life and writings housed at the University of California at Berkley.  They can be reached at:  http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Goldman/ or emma(AT)berkeley.edu  (510) 642-4708
These folks are the premiere authority on Emma Goldman.
      -Emma
 

“Are school nurses able to give Pap smears?”
          -Kaye, OK

It's great that you're thinking about this important test. Pap smears involve collecting a small sample of cells from your cervix.  This preparation is then sent to a laboratory and examined for cancerous or pre-cancerous cells.  

Student health clinics at universities and colleges sometimes offer pap smears.  Most high school/junior high/elementary school nurses in the US do not provide reproductive health care.  You can certainly ask the nurse at your school whether that service is provided.  If not, s/he should be able to give you a list of health clinics in your area where you can get a Pap smear. 
          -Emma

“Can I be pregnant if I had sex three days after having an abortion?  Can I still use emergency contraception?”
          -Dee, South Africa

First things first.  It is important not to place anything inside your vagina for at least two weeks after an abortion.  Doing so may put you at risk for a uterine infection, as your body has not yet had a chance to completely heal from the procedure.  If you have any questions about your aftercare and how to prevent complications like infection, do contact the provider who performed your abortion.

Secondly, while it is not likely that your body has regained its ability to conceive, there is a small chance that you may have ovulated.  If you ovulated, then yes, you can get pregnant if you had unprotected sex. 

Lastly- emergency contraception pills are a second chance at birth control if you had unprotected sex and you can read more about it here.  Since you are not in the U.S., I don’t know what emergency contraception methods are available to you and I would recommend you speak to the provider that performed your abortion for advice.  In general, emergency contraception pills can help prevent a pregnancy if a woman is not already pregnant and takes the pills within 5 days of unprotected sex.  EC is not as effective as choosing a birth control method that you can use accurately and consistently.
          -Emma