Pill to Implant?

[millal]

Hello! i was on the combination pill for about a year and decided that i wanted to switch to the implant because it's more convenient for me, i got it put in and my obgyn told me to stop my pack of pills and that i didn't need to finish them since i had gotten the implant inserted, does this mean that i was protected right away after i got the implant since i took my pills up until the day i got it? i also had some bleeding about 4-5 days after i got it in my arm but it only lasted a day, is this normal? thank you!

[Mo]

Depending on when in your cycle the implant was inserted, it could be effective immediately (otherwise it's recommended to use a backup method of birth control, like condoms, for seven days afterwards if you're sexually active during that time). If your doctor didn't specifically say, you could call in and ask, or just use condoms for the next week or so, after which you can know for sure you're at full protection from the implant.

Some bleeding/spotting is a very common side effect of the implant, so that's not unusual at all!

[millal]

okay! so things that don't cause pregnancy like fingering and oral sex are fine until a week is up?

[Heather]

Only if they're fine with you!

[millal]

okay thank you! i know that you can't answer pregnancy scare questions and i am not pregnancy scared i just needed some clarification, i read on your articles that you cannot get pregnant from manual sex, but if a guy ejacukated while masturbating and fingered your a few minutes later, does this pose a pregnancy risk or is that not realistic?

[Alice O]

Hey millal!

I'd encourage you to check out this piece: Who's Afraid of Sperm Cells?. The author does a great job explaining why that scenario does not pose a pregnancy risk.

[Alice O]

Also, I notice that in the past you've asked some pregnancy scare questions that we have not answered, due to our pregnancy scare policy.

Given what you've written about in the past I'm wondering, is the sex you are having bringing you anxiety? Are you enjoying it/having fun? If not, would you be interested in taking a break from that kind of sexual activity until you are in a place where it feels less anxiety-provoking and more fun?

[millal]

okay thank you! i do find myself frequently scared that i am pregnant from things like manual sex after a man has mastubated and find myself worrying that there may be sperm on his hands and if he fingers me i can get pregnant, which from your articles i know is not the case. since i went straight from the pill to the implant would i still need the week for it to work or would it have worked immediately?

[Mo]

I think the best thing you can do is check in with your doctor about this; as I noted earlier, it can depend on when in your cycle the implant is inserted. My understanding is that since you're moving directly from one method to another the coverage would have been instant but your doctor will be the best expert on your particular situation. Since you're feeling anxious about pregnancy right now, talking to them directly will hopefully help you feel less worried.

As Alice noted above, if you're feeling anxious about pregnancy after any kind of sex - even if you know, logically, that it cannot cause pregnancy - then taking a break from that kind of sex may be the best thing you can do for yourself right now! It's ok to step back from any kind of sex that causes you stress, for any reason.

[millal]

okay! so maybe take a break from manual sex since it's worrying me even though it in no way can cause a pregnancy? just to put my mind at ease?

[Mo]

It sounds like that would be helpful for you, so maybe give it a try and see how you feel.

[millal]

okay thank you, i did read through the sleek cells article but i still don't completely understand why it would not create a risk is a man had semen on his finger and fingered your a few minutes later, can sperm just not be transferred that way?

[Sam W]

Yep, that's correct. You can read about why that's the case in this article: Human Reproduction: A Seafarer's Guide

[millal]

okay great! i did read it and it says that it's not likely to happen, and since i had the implant for 4 days when this happened would i have had some additional protection?

[Heather]

This is getting into pregnancy scare territory. Let's move on from talking about an incident that is already in the past.

Can we circle back to what Alice asked? If some kinds of sex are freaking you out like this, do they still feel worth it to you? Are you having a great time when you engage in them or are they more freakout than they're worth? Also, are you asking partners to back up with condoms for the STI and extra pregnancy prevention they offer and the extra peace of mind? If not, why not?

Also

[millal]

yes, i just didn't think we needed to use condoms for things like manual sex in regards of pregnancy and we don't use condims because we don't have intercourse

[millal]

would he need to put on a condom for manual sex on me for pregnancy protection or is that not necessary?

[Heather]

Use of condoms isn't always a "need" thing" sometimes it is just something someone wants, rather than needs.

So, when a partner uses a condom is going to be about when you WANT them to use one.

However, I would suggest that if you are having a ton of anxiety around pregnancy with activities like manual sex that don't present that risk realistically, you might instead want to take some time away from sex of any kind, including this kind, that does get you all freaked out to figure out what you need to feel comfortable having sex without a ton of worry.

It might be that this is just too soon for you, period. It might be that you don't feel safe with your partner, or that you're actually enjoying anything enough to do anything but worry. maybe you are doing things only because you feel you have to. Maybe it just all feels too risky in the context of your life right now, so the timing is off. Have you thought about any of this in that kind of evaluative way?

[millal]

i did just go to my doctor and she assured me that i was completely protected since i went right from the pill to the implant and that you cannot get pregnant from manual sex at all so that made me feel completely better

[Alice O]

Hey millal,

I am glad that talking to your doctor helped you to feel better!

If you find yourself starting to feel anxious in the future, for example about getting pregnant from sexual activities that you *know* can't result in pregnancy, I would encourage you to take a break from those activities.

That could also be a good time to come back to some of the questions Heather brought up earlier, such as: Are you feeling ready to have this kind of sex? Do you feel safe with your partner? Are you super enjoying the sex you are having? Are you having sex because you feel like you have to? Do the risks of sex outweigh the pleasures right now?

But for now, I am happy to hear that you are feeling less worried! I bring these things up just because I know anxiety often comes in cycles, but I of course hope for you that the worries do not come back.

[millal]

honestly i think that i feel guilty about doing these activities and that's why i worry, even though i know they couldn't get me pregnant

[Mo]

If you're feeling guilt about the sex you're having, I think it's definitely a good idea to slow things down a bit while you dig into what's causing that guilt and whether there's anything you can do to feel more positive about your sexual decisions. I think the info in this article might be helpful to look through; it mentions people thinking they're pregnant but it also applies to people worrying about the potential for pregnancy where there is none: You're Not Pregnant. Why Do You think You Are?

[millal]

so that article would apply to me because i have not had a risk?

[Sam W]

As Heather mentioned, we need to steer clear of that kind of question. With article Mo gave you, did you find anything in there that felt like it applied to you?

[millal]

yes but in the article it only says manual sex with pre cum and it doesn't say anything about semen