Can I get pregnant?

[girlonamission]

Hello,
I cannot stop worrying or thinking about it. Two days ago I had sex for the first time. We were not using a condom(I know fucking stupid), my boyfriend did pull out but he orgasmed just outside my nether region. I could feel the wetness on my skin. As it was first time for me, I didn't register anything until much later. We tried to clean using a towel. He may have fingered me with precum on his hands unknowingly as well.
Also I realized it was high ovulation day of my cycle.
What do I do? I fear I will get pregnant...Please help, this anxiety is killing me.
My boyfriend says he is 100% sure he didn't get it inside, but I am not so sure.
What do I do?

[Andy]

Hi there and welcome to the boards,

I’m sorry to hear this is causing you so much anxiety.
If your partner ejaculated near or onto your genitals, though it’s not very high, there is still a pregnancy risk in this situation. You may be still within the 72 hours window where emergency contraception, aka Plan B, (more about that here: Birth Control Bingo: Emergency Contraception) could still be quite effective in preventing the pregnancy. Is that something you would consider getting? Do you need any help with that?

Also, for the future, condoms or other barrier methods prevent not only pregnancy but also STIs. Would you like some more information or help in learning more about that or getting them?

[girlonamission]

Hello Andy,
Thank you for being so kind about this. I really appreciate it at this stressful time. Yes I am taking a Plan B pill now just after I post this reply. Its within the 72 hrs window. My worry is, according to my phone period tracking calendar, 21st was supposed to be my ovulation day. Will the pill be effective still?

Also, yes I would really appreciate more information. Its not that I did not know it but I still made dumb choices. So I think I need to re-educate myself.

[Latha]

Hi girlonamission,

Emergency contraception works by delaying and inhibiting ovulation, and by inhibiting fertilization. So while plan B might be less effective when used around ovulation, it is still better to take it than not. I want to note that period trackers can't tell you exactly when you ovulate, especially without knowing information about things like your cervical mucus and basal body temperature. Instead, they give you a general estimate, so take that with a pinch of salt.

I know it can be scary to hear that plan B might not be as effective, but don't worry, we can help you work through your next steps. Taking plan B can change your cycle, so keep in mind that your period might be late. If you have your period, you can safely assume that you are not pregnant. Otherwise, wait two weeks from the day you had sex to take a pregnancy test. If that was the 22nd, you would test on the fifth of January. If the result ends up being positive, you do have options that we can discuss. And if it is negative, you don't have to do anything else.

Here is our article on condoms as contraception. It is a part of a larger series on birth control methods that you can look through to see if other methods interest you. You might also be interested in this article on the basics of using condoms, and this guide to buying them.

Let us know if you have any thoughts/questions.