I just need to vent

[Digdawg]

My boyfriend left today for basic training, so I’m definitely not gonna see him for a while. We had sex a couple times last week and did our usual song and dance with birth control: I take birth control pills perfectly, he wore condoms that didn’t break, and pulling out early each time.

I’m TERRIFIED I’m going to get pregnant, even though I did the math and I’d have to have royally pissed off god for that to happen. Everything was fine, no method failed, at least the barrier methods. But the prospect of me getting pregnant and having to go through that very controversial procedure without my boyfriend here to hold my hand and tell me it’ll be okay is so damn scary. I don’t know what I can do other than taking a pregnancy test at the 2-3 week post sex mark and going from there.

[Carly]

Hey Digdawg - I'm sorry you're so preoccupied by this right now, I imagine it's not any easier with your boyfriend going off to basic. For what it's worth, I think you can put some confidence in how diligent you and your boyfriend have been preventing pregnancy. Scarleteen's Pregnancy Panic Companion may also be helpful to review because it's made for this very feeling.

I do want to also recommend waiting until a missed period to take a pregnancy test rather than counting the days, in this or any other situation. At home tests are made to detect levels of HcG, which is a hormone that occurs naturally in your body but spikes significantly in early pregnancy. Waiting until a missed period will give the most accurate hCG read. Though it's often used interchangeably, there is a difference between "late" and "missed" periods: a late period starts later than you expect it to but still comes and a missed period means it's been 6 or more weeks after the start of your last period. Just something to keep in mind when you're thinking about testing at home.

I know you just needed a space to vent, but just a head's up: we do have a policy on posts about pregnancy fear and anxiety in place. I suggest reviewing that so you know the kinds of things we cannot respond to or need to lock, just in case you want to post more about how you're feeling.