Can I get pregnant?!? I need answers please!

[c6razon]

Hi! I’m all new to this so I really appreciate help. Me and my boyfriend have been having sex with a condom and he tells me that the condom rolls down the slightest bit. I see him adjusting it by rolling it up. Can this get me pregnant.. this may sound stupid but I’m a over thinker.. my period is supposed to come in a few weeks and I don’t know if I should take a plan b since I took one in January.. I’m not sure if it’s worth it.

[Sam W]

Hi c6razon,

So, as long as the condom did not break or come off all the way, you can assume it did what is was supposed to and protected you from pregnancy. If he was having issues with the fit of this condom, then he might want to try a different brand in the future to find one that's a better fit for him. As for emergency contraception, having taken one in January wouldn't mean you couldn't take one this month if you needed to.

That being said, if pregnancy isn't something you feel you can risk right now, then stepping back from sexual activities that pose a risk of pregnancy would be a sound call. Do you feel up to talking with your partner about doing that?

[c6razon]

Hi! Thank you so much for responding. (Sorry for the late response!) After we finish having sex we always check if the condom broke which we haven’t seen anything. (I’m hoping that’s another good sign to ease my mind) I have thought of using another condom brand because we’ve been experimenting with different brands and landed on the current one that we use (skyn condoms) today I had a conversation with my boyfriend regarding my concerns about pregnancy and all of my worries and he supported me and told me that if I feel unsure then we can stop. He was open with the idea of not continuing because he wants doesn’t want me to worry. Birth control was also another option we considered.. however I’m not sure since I haven’t done much research but I was thinking of the brand slynd which my sister also uses. Although pregnancy scares me.. I want to continue having sex with my boyfriend but I want to be safe and responsible while doing it. I do not want to get pregnant at this age.. there’s too many teen moms in my family and I cannot become one of them. I have very stupid questions regarding what can cause pregnancy and about sex but I will ask soon! Thank you so much!

[KierC]

Hi there c6razon,

I’m glad what Sam said was helpful. I am glad to hear, too, that your boyfriend is supportive and willing to take a break from sexual activity if you want to, until you are comfortable with the risks involved in whatever sexual activity you do. There’s nothing wrong with you for taking a break until you are comfortable with the risks involved and able to manage anxieties surrounding pregnancy risk — it is a really caring thing to do for yourself, to recognize that it might be kinder to yourself to take a break. In the article Birth Control Bingo, you can see that which birth control method you use is driven by what level of risk you are comfortable with and able to manage. However, if you are unable to risk pregnancy at all for any reason, it is perfectly okay to not take part in sexual activities that pose a risk to pregnancy.

If or when you feel that you are able to manage the risks involved with birth control and sexual activity, using another birth control method in combination with a barrier method like a condom is an excellent way to lower pregnancy risk. The article I linked earlier called Birth Control Bingo could be a great place to start by assessing what risks you’re comfortable with and finding a method that works for you if you’d like to pursue finding birth control. The pill you mentioned, Slynd, is a progestin-only pill, also called a minipill, and is ever so slightly less effective than the combination pill. That being said, these are 99+% effective in one year of perfect use, and 90% effective in one year of typical use. Because it’s progestin-only, though, and only works by that one mechanism instead of by three with the combination pill, it’s reallly important to take Slynd at the same time every day to prevent pregnancy. Does that make sense?

I hear you about not wanting to become pregnant as a teenager, but I want to reassure you that if you don’t want to get pregnant, that is your choice and there are tangible steps you can take to manage pregnancy risk — you’re already doing a great job at this by asking questions and seeking out information for safer sexual activity.

P.S. If you have questions about what can and cannot cause pregnancy or the transference of STIs, this article is a great place to look! Can I Get Pregnant, Or Get Or Pass On An STI From That?.