Tag Archives: pregnancy
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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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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