Okay. If you like, we can help you figure out what sort of help might be available in your area. Or, if you have a general physician, or another healthcare provider you see regularly, they're a very good place to start as well.

You're very welcome; so glad to help. Please do keep us updated! (And thank you so much for the wonderful thank you post you made, it's always great to hear that we've helped someone so much!)

It can be scary talking to someone in person about anxiety, but mental healthcare providers, just like any other healthcare professionals, are just that, professionals. It's their job to help you, to make you feel comfortable talking about things that are scary or embarrassing. You wouldn't even nee...

Have you considered checking in with a counselor or therapist about your anxiety? This level of worry obviously isn't fun, and it sounds like it's really interfering with your day to day life recently.

I analyzed it like this: If those physical changes are indeed from pregnancy, then the hormone responsible, hCG, is high enough, therefore the pregnancy test would detect it. Can you (almost) confirm this? (I know biology isn't always 100% precise). That's absolutely correct. :) I'm so glad you wer...

That post is still accurate, yes. And you're right on about what it's saying: regardless of whether a guy's hand has semen on it or not, touching it and then touching yourself is not a pregnancy risk. You're expressing a lot of concern about pregnancy risks from things that just do not pose a risk o...

If someone is pregnant enough to have physical changes related to pregnancy, then yes, they would get a positive result on a pregnancy test. You can read more about pregnancy tests here: Peeing on a Stick: All About Pregnancy Tests How are you doing with managing your anxiety about pregnancy lately?

Not everyone bleeds with first intercourse, even if there is some stretching or tearing of the hymen. (Actual tearing is actually fairly uncommon; usually the hymen wears away on its own throughout puberty, from things like tampon use, masturbation, menstrual flow, etc.) In short: yes, it's perfectl...

It's always okay to ask us to clarify information, if you're not sure about something in an article.

Are you feeling like you understand all of this better now?

I didn't write that, but I think it this case Heather would likely agree that yes, the vaginal opening and vagina would be included in that. Because in that scenario, whether you were touching your vulva or putting fingers into your vagina, pregnancy isn't an issue.

The vulva and the vagina are two different things. The vulva is the external part, that includes the inner and outer labia and clitoris, and the vagina is the internal canal that connects the outside of the body to the uterus. So, when we say vulva, we do not include vagina in that: we're talking sp...

Yep, it would still be a low risk, as stated in the article.

That's what this space is for.

Is there anything else we can help you with around this? Do you feel okay initiating a conversation about needing some reassurance from time to time with your partner?

You're very welcome.

Welcome to the boards! It's really not necessary to test condoms with water after using them. Any tiny hole in a condom would rapidly become a much bigger hole during sex, and you would notice that: when condoms break, it's pretty obvious. If the condom did not break or slip off, then you can assume...

I was just reading the topic on "The Fault In Our Stars" here and it got me thinking: so much of the way sex is presented in the media (whether that's in movies, on television, or in novels) is pretty idealized and not terribly reflective of real life. Obviously The Fault In Our Stars is a...

You're so welcome.

You've evaluated your risk correctly, and given that your girlfriend has just started a method of birth control known for causing changes in the menstrual cycle, and has irregular periods anyway? No cause for concern.

Hormonal birth control can cause mood changes, so it's possible that your pill is the culprit here. Many side effects do lessen considerably after the first three months or so, and that might be the case with you as well, but if you feel like you'd rather not wait that long to find out, then you can...

Any time you're having the kinds of sex that can create pregnancy, there will be a pregnancy risk. However, as long as you didn't take a longer than usual placebo break between the end of your last pack of pills and this new pack, and you've taken all of them correctly, then the risk is very small. ...

Yep, that bit is up to you. Honestly, though, you seem pretty self-aware, and the fact that you're thinking about this at all is a good indication that you're able to balance sex with the other parts of your relationship. I don't think you have any reason to be concerned about that.

It's pretty amazing how strong condoms are in a lot of ways for something that looks so delicate! One of my favourite ways to demonstrate how stretchy they are is to roll one over my hand and forearm, up to my elbow.

How long ago was your most recent risk? EC can only be used up to 120 hours after a risk, and really, after the first couple of days when your risk was already this low to begin with, it's not likely to reduce that risk much further.

(Yes, I do collect condoms. )

Plan B can mess with your cycle for a couple of months, and having an IUD inserted can throw things a bit out of whack too. If you like, you can take a pregnancy test, but with a low risk to begin with, Plan B AND an IUD insertion, pregnancy is beyond unlikely.

Have you talked to a healthcare provider about this? If you're making sure you're fully aroused, using plenty of lube, and are still finding it painful, then the next step is to see a doctor. Until you can see a doctor, stick to the kinds of sex that don't involve vaginal entry; if you keep trying a...