If you’re a fan of penis in vagina sex but not getting pregnant, you might want to watch this video. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Contraception
Non Hormonal Contraception – condoms and other methods explained
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Hormonal Contraception – the pill, implant, IUS, patch, depo provera explained
Hormonal contraception all works in roughly the same way. A small amount of extra hormones (which are already present in females) are taken, which stop eggs from being released and/or the womb lining from being created and sperm getting into the womb. They are very effective if taken properly and very popular. (For more about reproduction go to bishuk.com/bodies ) Continue reading
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Contraceptive Implant
Hey there.
You might have heard in the last couple of days that some women have got pregnant over the last few years after using the Contraceptive Implant (also known until recently as Implanon). So I thought I’d re-assure my loyal readers (that’s you) that it is very effective and that you should not worry.
How does it work?
Well as my ‘Sexy Trump’ card shows above (from a new game I’ve been working on lately) the Implant is super effective. No method of contraception is 100%, but this one is pretty close. It is inserted under the skin under the arm at a clinic, by a specially trained nurse. It’s done under local anaesthetic which numbs the arm, a small incision is made and the implant is inserted.
The implant can stay in for up to 3 years. It slowly releases an extra amount of progestogen (a hormone which naturally occurs in females), which prevents pregnancy by preventing the womb lining from being created and by preventing sperm getting past the cervix. It is highly effective (more on this in a sec).
Some women love this method of contraception and others aren’t so keen (there is a progestogen pill which has a similar effect and can be taken before trying out the implant). Once in you don’t have to remember to do anything or take anything, it sits in the arm doing it’s job for up to 3 years.
However it doesn’t prevent STIs, so you may want to use condoms too.
Like all hormonal contraception, it can have some side effects for some women and these side effects can vary from woman to woman. Just because your Aunty got moody and spots on the Implant doesn’t mean that you will: ok?
It stays in for up to 3 years but can be taken out before then by your clinic if you want. It works as soon as it’s put in and you can get pregnant soon after it being taken out.
So what’s this I’m hearing in the news?
I’m afraid that many journalists aren’t that great at reporting about contraception and sex. Some women have become pregnant and some journalists have said that 584 women got pregnant using the Implant. However they don’t tell you that the number of women using the Implant in the UK is between 800,000 and 1.4 million. This means that the Implant is still way over 99% effective. Also many of these women may have been pregnant before the Implant was fitted or had their Implant fitted incorrectly. See this post from my chum and all round sexpert Dr Petra for more on this.
So the Implant is very very effective. Ok? If you are concerned about the very small risk of pregnancy from the Implant (less than 1%, possibly much lower) then as well as being on the Implant you could use condoms too and/or avoid penis in vagina sex or avoid ejaculation inside the vagina.
If you are concerned and you’ve had the implant fitted then you can go back to the clinic or GP where you got it and chat to a nurse. The advice seems to be, ‘if you can feel it, it’s fine’. You can see what Brook have to say about it here and the FPA here
If you are a practitioner and you would like to print out a factsheet to give out in clinics then click this image below.
© Bish Training, 2010 all images and text
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Female Fertility Explained
Ok, I’m going to let you into a little secret. Just don’t tell any other sex educators I told you this. If you have penis in vagina sex without a condom or contraception, you won’t always get pregnant. In fact, it’s unlikely.
WAIT! Don’t run off to have bareback sex! This doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Some people have unprotected sex once or twice and they get pregnant straight away. However I’m just being honest with you.
Because us sex educators often don’t get enough time to teach about sex properly we sometimes are guilty of teaching kids ‘if you have penis in vagina sex, you’ll get pregnant.’ What we should say is ‘if you have regular penis in vagina sex without condoms or contraception then it is very likely that within a year you will get pregnant.’
The risks of an unwanted pregnancy are lower than you might think. Here’s why.
Why you can’t get pregnant every time you have sex
Here’s a recap on what you should have learnt about eggs, ovaries and fertlisation
In order for pregnancy to start, an egg has to be fertilised within a 20 hour time slot when the egg is alive. If a sperm meets an egg at this stage then there is (something like) a 33% chance of fertilisation. So how do you know when an egg is going to be released (ovulation)? Tricky that….
First thing that you should remember is that all women are different and that menstrual cycles (including period, ovulation and womb lining being created and discarded) can vary from cycle to cycle. Some women have longer periods than others. And some women release an egg right in the middle of their cycle and others around that time.
But as you can see from this picture. If a woman has a 28 day cycle and ovulates around day 14 then she can only get pregnant if she has penis in vagina sex between day 7 and 15. This is because sperm can live for up to 7 days inside someone, waiting for an egg to come out.
I’ve had sex a few times, I’m not pregnant, I’m infertile?
No. Some women may have had sex a few times, not got pregnant and assumed that they were infertile (unable to have kids, something which can be caused by chlamydia but other things too). Then they might think ‘Sod it, I can’t get pregnant, so I won’t bother with contraception.’ They would be wrong. They just haven’t understood the likelihood of getting pregnant. Remember:
If you have regular penis in vagina sex then it is very likely that you will get pregnant within a year.
Why predicting ovulation is tricky
Ok back to the cycles and ovulation. Some of you may read this and think ‘well if I avoid penis in vagina sex just before and around ovulation I won’t get pregnant.’ Hmm, maybe. But the problem is that many young women do not have regular menstrual cycles. A woman could have a 28 day cycle, then have a 22 day, then have a 34 day etc.
It’s difficult to predict when you are going to ovulate (and thus difficult to predict when your safe time is) because you don’t always know how long your cycle is going to be. Do you get this? Sure?
Some women are able to use this as a method of having sex and without having babies: however it’s very very hard to do and not super effective – click here for more. But but but, it’s not as effective as using condoms or other methods of contraception. Also it’s actually much more likely that you will get a STI from unsafe sex than pregnant.
For more advice and a clinic near you go here
For more on Contraception and Services
(Practitioner? Get the fertility leaflet here)
Sexual Health Services: what going to a clinic is like and what they do there
Busted! Contraception and Pregnancy Myths
How to Be An Amazing Lover Without Having Entry Sex
© Justin Hancock 2012, bishtraining.com
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Sexual Health Services
Learn more about sexual health services for young people in the UK. What they are, where they are, what they do and what going for a check up or a chat at a clinic is like.
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<div style=”clear:both”><a href=”http://bishuk.com/2010/07/03/sexual-health-services/”><img align=”center” src=”http://bishtraining.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/sexual-health-services-infographic.png” title=”Sexual Health Services for Young People in the UK” border=”0″ /></a></div><br/><br/><div>Courtesy of: <a href=”http://bishUK.com”>bishUK.com | Sex Explained *a guide to sex, relationships and you (over 14s)</a></div>
Why hello there.
This post is really only relevant to those who live in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
In the UK we are pretty lucky to have free and confidential sexual health services for young people. You can get free condoms, emergency contraception, contraception, STI check-ups, pregnancy testing, impartial advice about pregnancy options, terminations of pregnancy (not usually in Northern Ireland though), counselling, advice, cervical screening, well man checks. All free and confidential with no prescription charges. Good eh?
If you click on the the top right hand corner of this blog or here then you can find your local place for these services. Not all services are the same though so I’ll try to make this clear in this post.
Many areas have young people’s clinics as well as adult clinics, if you are a young-un you can go to either.
Young people’s clinics offer very similar services to adult services but with staff who are trained in working with young people and aim to be more friendly and welcoming to the yoof. They also tend to be open after school (afternoons and evenings). Each clinic may offer some or all of the services above, it depends so make sure you find out they do what you want before you go.
If you are worried or want to know more about what may happen then click the image below. It’s an example of a welcome leaflet which we use at a clinic I work at. It will give you some idea of what happens.
Young people’s clinics are provided by the NHS (National Health Service) and employ their own staff, or they pay for other organisations to provide them. For example Brook are a charity who specialise in young people’s sexual health services, they provide really great services. Check out their website: just make sure you come back OK?
Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) also provide some services to young people.
So here is an example of a young people’s clinic in action. It’s a great project called KISS (Keep It Safe and Sorted, or Sexy, I forget which) in Uxbridge, London (or Middlesex, I forget which). It stars Average Joe and Condom Man!!!
Ok. Now to confuse you a little bit, clinics for adult sexual health are split into two types of service.
One mainly does the stuff to do with contraception, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, terminations: these are known as ‘Reproductive Sexual Health’ or ‘Family Planning’ clinics.
The other mainly does STI check-ups and treatment: these are known as ‘Sexual Health Clinics’ or ‘GUM’ (Genito-Urinary Medicine) Clinics.
Remember each service should spell out exactly what they do, so go to the one which does what you want.
You could also just go to your GP. Many GPs offer sexual and reproductive health services and can be a very convenient place to get your contraception from, for instance.
For more detail on all the services available for adults and young people in more detail, visit Dr Petra’s blog
Pharmacists (chemists) are very useful places, particularly for the Emergency Contraception Many pharmacists are funded to give the Emergency Contraception for free to young people. So find out locally whether yours will. If not the emergency contraception pill (Levonelle 2) costs around £25.
The pharmacist will normally have a private consultation room where you may be asked for some information and given some advice about emergency contraception and safer sex.
All clinics to do with sexual health, for adults or young people, will provide you with free condoms! Hurrah!
Many areas also have ‘Condom Distribution Schemes’ and many of these are aimed at young people. The idea is that it makes access to condoms easier. They are great at providing condoms, but if you want more specialist advice and information they might not be able to help you but they will refer you to someone who can if they can’t.
In some areas you register and get a ‘C Card’ which means that you can go to a number of outlets near where you live to get them (though in practice, young people tend to go back to the same place). Connexions Centres, youth clubs, GP surgeries, local clinics are often part of these schemes: even barber shops in some areas!
Do an internet search to see if there is a ‘C Card’ or other great condom project in your area. For example here is a great C Card scheme in Hackney, London, called Free-Dom
Chlamydia is the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection, particularly amongst young people. You can catch it very easily if you have penis in vagina or anus sex without a condom. It usually has no symptoms (so you do not know you have it). It can stop you from having kids when you’re older. It is easy to test for (pee in a pot) and it is easily cured (a week of anti-biotics).
Because of this, if you are a young person in the UK, you might have had someone pushing a urine pot under your nose! You might even have had a letter about it from your local PCT (Primary Care Trust, the people in the NHS that provide these services).
Colleges, Schools, Universities, Workplaces and even some pubs and nightclubs have had teams of chlamydia screeners trying to get people to get a free test. If someone asks you to do a test, and you wanna do it, just listen to their instructions about how to pee in the pot and how they will let you know the result (usually they text you).
You can even get a free testing kit sent to you for instance here
As with everything on here it’s all free and confidential.
Now remember, to find your nearest place click on the yellow box above or here
For more on Contraception and Services
Sexual Health Services: what going to a clinic is like and what they do there
Busted! Contraception and Pregnancy Myths
© Justin Hancock 2012, bishtraining.com
Busted! Contraception and Pregnancy Myths – why you can get pregnant standing up
Lots of young people rely on their friends at school to teach them about sex and relationships: not a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, I think young people are the shizzle (get me?) but how many of you are Nurse Specialists in Reproductive and Sexual Health or Consultants in Genitourinary Medicine? Hmm? Because people often learn from their mates they also learn rumours and myths which aren’t true
Everything about conception, pregnancy and contraception below is TRUE, ok?
If you’ve heard any other myths or if you aren’t sure about something, then ask above…
A woman who carries condoms is sensible, smart, confident and independent. It does not mean that she will have sex all the time or will do it with just anyone.
It Is Possible To Get Pregnant The First Time You Have Sex
You can get pregnant (or get someone pregnant) on the 1st or 81st time you have sex. The only reliable way of having penis in vagina sex without having a pregnancy is to use a method of contraception.
There is no evidence that hormonal contraception causes weight gain: it’s a rumour: S.Gupta, “Weight Gain on the Combined Pill – Is It Real?” Hum Reprod Update 6, no.5 (2001): 427 – 431 Some women report that they have an increased appetite when they are using the pill or another hormonal method, but that doesn’t mean that the pill makes you fat.
Just Taking The Penis Out Before Cumming Does Not Work Well
This might be an effective method if it was done perfectly, but it is very very difficult. Trying not to ejaculate inside someone is a) tricky and b) you can ejaculate without realising. If you are wearing condoms and are anxious about the condom breaking then taking out the penis before cumming is ok and massively reduces the risk of pregnancy.
And BANNED from the leisure centre. For some reason people think that the sperm will swim away from the fallopian tubes in water: it won’t.
Crossing Fingers Does Not Work
Just hoping that you or someone else is not pregnant is not an effective method of contraception, mmkay?
Emergency Contraception is Safe
Emergency contraception pills (more about this here) are totally safe and can be taken a number of times in a year. A few years ago it was recommended that they weren’t taken that often, this is not the case now ok? Emergency contraception pills are great, just not as reliable as on-going contraception.
Apart from the big hole at one end to get the penis in, condoms do not have holes in. OK?! Also governments do not deliberately put holes in condoms or put HIV in condoms. This is complete bollocks (and I don’t use that word lightly). More about other condom myths here
Hormones in Hormonal Contraception Are Natural
Hormonal contraception contains additional female hormones which naturally occur in the body (oestrogen and progestogen). They have the effect of fooling the brain into thinking that the woman is pregnant, this means that the eggs don’t get released and/or the womb lining isn’t created and a plug of mucous is created at the base of the cervix. It’s natural.
Side Effects of Contraception Can Be Different For Everybody
Just because your Aunty got moody on the implant doesn’t mean this will happen to you ok? Some people get side effects from contraception, some don’t and it all depends on the individual and the individual contraception being used. Remember also that not all side effects are ‘bad’: some are beneficial, regular, lighter or no periods for instance. Also some can help with spots.
Washing the vagina after sex does not prevent pregnancy. In fact some believe it may actually increase the likelihood of pregnancy (aiding sperm to swim past the cervix).
There is a Time in the Menstrual Cycle When It Is Not Possible To Get Pregnant
This is explained better here but just to say, pregnancy can only start at certain times of the ‘month’ but it is very difficult to work out when this time is going to be. Which is why we invented contraception. Yeah?
You Can Still Get Pregnant From Having Sex Standing Up
If you were really desperately trying to get pregnant then having sex standing up is probably not the best way to do it, however gravity is not a recognised method of contraception. If a penis is in a vagina then there is a risk of pregnancy.
If you have any others you would like me to add, or investigate then let me know! Just hit ‘ask’ at the top of the page.
For more on Contraception and Services
Sexual Health Services: what going to a clinic is like and what they do there
How to Be An Amazing Lover Without Having Entry Sex
© Justin Hancock 2012, bishtraining.com
PS Practitioners, you might be interested in my Contraception leaflet which features this post in a different format on the back available here and also my new resource about Contraception and Safer Sex Safer Sex Aces
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Contraception: Sex Without Making Babies – condoms, the pill and other great methods explained
Brief guide to different types of contraception. Good and bad. The most effective methods are hormonal methods, barrier methods or not having entry sex.
This piece is taken from Sex Explained: A Real and Relevant Guide to Sex, Relationships and You.
If you get all your sex and relationships education from watching Corrie, Eastenders or Hollyoaks then you might not be aware that you CAN have sex WITHOUT getting pregnant!
I know that Deidre Barlow going to a family planning clinic for a repeat prescription of the pill is not exactly riveting, but why is it that whenever there is a storyline about a man and woman having sex it always ends up that the woman gets pregnant with tragic ‘is it Ken’s or Mike’s’ story? (I haven’t watched Corrie for about 15 years by the way).
Anyway, moving on. There’s a hell of a lot that you can learn about Contraception. If you want more information than what I’ve presented here then I’ll put a load of links below where you can find out more.
Hormonal methods are also used to treat other health issues for girls, such as severe acne, click here to read more. So some girls are given these methods even if they are not having sex or even thinking about having sex.
If you are really really worried about pregnancy but want to have ‘full’ sex (hate that phrase) then you could
- use a hormonal method as well as condoms
- you could use condoms and not come inside your partner.
- Or you could do all three, which my friend tells me is called ‘triple bagging’; but she may have made that up.
Related Bishyness
Sexual Health Services: what going to a clinic is like and what they do there
Busted! Contraception and Pregnancy Myths
Withdrawal Method: crappy contraceptive method but huge in porn!
How to Be An Amazing Lover Without Having Entry Sex
© Justin Hancock 2012, bishtraining.com
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