It’s National Women’s Health Week. Make your health a priority and schedule a well-woman checkup today.
Ask us anything. No judgments.
Is it possible to be pregnant and still have your period?
Someone asked us:
Is it possible to be pregnant and still have your period?
Hundreds of people ask us this question every day on our chat and text lines. Maybe your aunt said she had her period the whole time she was pregnant with your cousin, or maybe you’ve had unprotected sex and even though you got your period you want to be really sure — and there’s nothing wrong with that!
So here’s what you need to know: Women who are pregnant don’t get a period (meaning a monthly shedding of the uterine lining) during the time that they’re pregnant. But sometimes bleeding happens for other reasons. Some women experience light spotting in the beginning of their pregnancy, called implantation bleeding, but for most women this bleeding is much lighter and does not last as long as a normal period.
It’s definitely possible for women who normally have very light periods to mistake that for their period, just as it’s possible for women who have irregular cycles to not notice if they miss a period, and not find out that they’re pregnant until several months down the line. But if you get your period at the time you expect it, and it’s not unlike the bleeding you usually have, then it’s super unlikely that you’re pregnant. If your bleeding is much lighter and/or shorter than usual, there’s no harm in taking a pregnancy test to be certain.
Other than implantation bleeding, there are a few other reasons why pregnant women have vaginal bleeding. The causes vary and depend on how long a woman has been pregnant. A pregnant woman who discovers that she has vaginal bleeding should contact her health care provider immediately to make sure everything is okay. Bleeding happens to one out of five pregnant women. What’s unlikely is for the bleeding to be as heavy or last as long as a regular period, or coincide closely enough with the time you normally get your period for you to mistake it as one for nine months in a row.
The vast majority of pregnant women find out they’re pregnant long before their due date, and most of them do not bleed at all during pregnancy.
- Emily at Planned Parenthood
Is it easy to tell when a condom breaks?
Someone asked us:
please i want to know does condom breaks in a drastic way or there can be microscopic holes or tears in the condom that cannot be felt or seen with bare eyes??
It’s scary to think that you may not know if a condom breaks. The good news is that it’s usually pretty easy to tell when a condom has broken by looking at it. Usually a broken condom (whether it’s a regular latex condom or one made of polyurethane or polyisoprene) will have an obvious tear that guys can feel and sometimes both partners can even hear when it happens. But sometimes a guy won’t notice it’s broken until after he pulls out. So it’s important to take a second to make sure you don’t see any holes or leaking semen before the condom comes off.
Condoms are very effective at preventing pregnancy and STDs when used correctly. If a condom breaks and you’re concerned about pregnancy, you may want to consider emergency contraception and getting tested for STDs. Contact your nearest Planned Parenthood health center for more information on emergency contraception (also known as the morning-after pill) and STD testing.
- Emily at Planned Parenthood
Mind the gap
Thinking of trying out a new birth control method? Great! But there are a few things to keep in mind before you throw out your pill pack (or patch, or ring, or whatever). Depending on what your switching from and to, you may need to overlap methods for a bit, or you may need to use a back up method for a bit. Here’s a handy fact sheet in English and Spanish from the Reproductive Health Access Project that tells you how to switch from any method to any method.
Be sure to use a back-up method if there’s any gap in use during the transition.
A back-up method is a second form of birth control used alongside your new one, like a condom or female condom. So, for example, you might choose to use condoms while you wait to get your prescription for the ring.
It’s estimated that stopping birth control pills accounts for 20 percent of unplanned pregnancies in the US every year. So switch carefully!
- Nina at Planned Parenthood
I always use condoms. Could I be pregnant?
Someone asked us:
I’ve had sex with my boyfriend a lot lately, and we use a condom every time (and none of them have broken). How likely is it that I could be pregnant? My period isn’t here yet, and I’m getting a little worried.
If you’ve been using condoms correctly, and they haven’t broken or come off inside of you, then it’s highly unlikely that you could be pregnant. When used always and correctly, condoms are 98% effective at preventing pregnancy. Here are some other things to think about when it comes to using a condom correctly:
● Was the condom on his penis before going into your vagina, and did it stay in place during the entire time you had sex?
● Did your boyfriend pull his penis out of your vagina while he was still erect to ensure that no semen leaked out of the base of the condom after sex?
● Did you check for holes or tears in the condom before and after using it? (Sounds like you did!)
If you answered yes to these questions, then you’ve been using condoms correctly, and pregnancy is very unlikely.
Your late period could be due to a number of other things — stress illness, not eating enough, very vigorous exercise, or using a birth control method that contains hormones (which if you do — then it’s crazy unlikely that you’re pregnant). You can always take a pregnancy test just to be sure.
What’s really important to talk about in a relationship? Potato chips? Maybe not. Planning a pregnancy? Definitely.
via BuzzFeed
How soon can I know if I am pregnant?
Someone asked us:
How soon can I know if I am pregnant?
The first sign of pregnancy might be your missed period. If you are pregnant, most pregnancy tests will show a positive result by the time you have a missed period. Some pregnancy tests even work a few days beforehand. Read the label on the pregnancy test box to see when the test may become effective.
Other early signs of pregnancy include fatigue, feeling bloated, frequent urination, mood swings, nausea, and tender or swollen breasts. Not all people have all of these symptoms, but it’s common to have at least one of them.
Most women wonder if they’re pregnant many times in their lives. Our Am I Pregnant tool will help you find out if it’s time for a pregnancy test. Or learn more about pregnancy on our website.
-Nathan at Planned Parenthood
Ready for some cool science?
Pregnant? There’s an app for that!
Predicting ovulation, understanding your fertility, pregnancy pilates, prenatal to-dos, choosing a name, and timing your contractions. There’s an app for that. Any of you parents (or soon-to-be parents) using new technologies to make the pregnancy process a little easier? Let us know in your reblog.
