Hi Dolly, So, when we see someone worrying about things compromising their BC that on no planet could actually do so, that's usually a sign that they either aren't 100% clear on how the method works, or something else is making them anxious (either tied to sex specifically or a more general anxiety)...

Hi jcon, So, first off, the only person who can ultimately decide how to label your sexual attraction (or lack thereof) is you. We can only offer some things to think about. If you find that asexual seems to describe the way you feel, then that's now you get to identify. Have you done much reading o...

Hi Hypochondriac,

Yes, we take all fluids into account when writing about risk.

Hi Flyingelephant, A few thoughts occur to me. One is, if you're over 18, even if you're on your parents insurance, I'm not sure they can see the specifics of what you're doing. I think, when you go talk to the OB-GYN about Mirena, it would be sound to ask them if/how the procedure will appear on yo...

Hi Marc,

With condoms, as long as they did not break or come off and were used for all activities that carried a risk of pregnancy, it's safe to assume that the condom did it's job.

As Amanda said, there's no reason to think that the pills were compromised, so that's kind of a moot point to focus on. However, if you still can't shake your concern, the best thing to do is just use condoms for any intercourse that occurs. That way, you'll always have extra protection in case some...

Hi Marcel, Yes, the remaining percents are usually due to things like user error. If her apps are not asking her to do things like take her temperature or check cervical mucus, then they are not actually that able to give a reliable prediction of where she is in her cycle, so I would definitely show...

Hi Breeze, I would definitely say it's possible (I actually did it, although to be fair I was not in Med School, which is notoriously time consuming), but not always easy. Part of it depends on what kind of relationship you're in or looking for. If you want something casual, the dynamics of that may...

Hi Marc, So, this article covers the different types of birth control combos and how effective they are at preventing pregnancy: The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method I'm not familiar with the apps she's using, but she may want to give this arti...

You're quite welcome Here are a few articles you might want to check out:
Figuring Out How to Be a Lesbian Safer Sexpert
Ready or Not? The Scarleteen Sex Readiness Checklist
Yes, No, Maybe So: A Sexual Inventory Stocklist

Hi Galaxysugar, Kudos for taking time to figure out what you need to do to be safe before engaging in sexy stuff :) We've addressed a question similar to yours here, so you can check that out for details: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advice/can_people_with_no_sexual_experience_have_an_std Too, ...

Nope, once you swallowed it, it was in your stomach ( or on it's way there).

Yes, I would say those are all sound things to remember to help you cope with the anxiety around this. However, anxiety is sometimes a trampoline that facts just bounce off of. So, you may want to talk to your therapist about ways to counter anxious thoughts when facts don't seem to be enough.

Hi kaykay,

Glad to hear you've started accessing some therapy It sounds like, from your own description, you're making progress, even if it's in little steps (which is sometimes all we can manage)

Hi Kaykay,

Breakthrough bleeding happens because your body is, essentially, having to adjust it's cycle to being on the pill. As for why now and not when you first started, that's also part of your body adjusting and trying to figure out when to do what now that you're taking these pills.

Hi littlerelaxbear, All of those painful emotions you're feeling right now are normal things to feel when a break-up is still raw. That doesn't make them suck less, but it can help to know that other folks have felt them before you and come out okay in the end, and that it won't feel like this forev...

Hi Kittens, First off, it sounds like you and your partner are being very good about having open, ongoing conversations about boundaries around sex, which is awesome. And I think it's sound to be cautious, especially given the fact that you've been coping with PTSD (although I'm glad to hear that th...

Because romantic relationships are a common topic both in conversation and in media, most of us develop ideas about what it's like to be in a relationship long before we're ever actually in one. And, often, we discover that the relationships we do end up in look and work differently than we imagined...

Hi Skinny,

You can use yogurt two ways (and it needs to be organic and plain): you can eat it, or you can use it as a poultice and spread it either on or in the vagina.

Hi xskinny, I have seen garlic recommended as well, but I am not turning up a reliable enough source that confirms it as a treatment. And, when someone has what they think is a yeast infection, we advise a gyno visit both to rule out alternative causes, but also because what they prescribe is likely...

It's not uncommon for people to use masturbation as a quick stress relief, since it can release hormones that help lower stress. The time that might be a cause for concern is if you're using masturbation as your only or primary method of dealing with stressful issues (in other words, masturbation is...

Hi Rayo,

So, with the pill, you have a 12 hour grace period before the pill is considered late, so your effectiveness should not have been decreased.

I want to check, how come you two did not use a condom the second time, as it sounds like not using one makes you anxious?

Hi lellykelly,

Yes, if you started bleeding on the placebo (sugar) pills, then that's most likely your withdrawl bleed. And yes, if you were to have sex, a withdrawl bleed would indicate that you had not gotten pregnant as a result of that sex.

Hi xmetalgirl,

Have you taken a look at this article yet? If not, that's a good place to start to figure out what types are discharge are normal:
Honorably Discharged: A Guide to Vaginal Secretions

Hi aeazat, So, when it comes to masturbation, as long as it's not causing you physical discomfort and you're not feeling as though it's a compulsive behavior (where you're doing it even though you don't really want to or enjoy it), then there's nothing to worry about. As for the fluids, what you're ...