|
Pregnancy - Frequently Asked Questions -- Pregnancy
- web questions
***There is no way
for us to know if you are pregnant or not – no matter how much
information you give us. If you want to know if you are pregnant
we will always recommend you see a clinician for a pregnancy
test.
Q. How can I get pregnant?
A. Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by sperm
and implants into the uterus lining to develop into an embryo.
All of these have to occur for pregnancy to occur. Pregnancy
can happen when any semen (with sperm) is in or around the
vaginal area allowing the sperm to reach the egg
to fertilize it.
Top
Q. What are the days someone is more likely to become pregnant?
A. A woman is most fertile around the time she ovulates (release
of an egg from the ovaries to the fallopian tubes) therefore
if someone has unprotected vaginal intercourse up to approximately
5 days (sometimes 7) before ovulation then the likelihood
of pregnancy can be higher. Ovulation usually occurs the
middle day of a woman’s cycle. The first day of the cycle
is the first day of a woman’s period/bleeding. If a woman
is on a 28-day cycle then ovulation would occur around
day 14. It is difficult to pin point a woman's ovulation
day unless you go through a process to determine the day
therefore it is usually an estimated day.
Top
Q. How can I reduce my chances of an unplanned pregnancy?
A. Abstinence is the only 100% way to prevent an
unplanned pregnancy. If you decide to be sexually active
there are
ways to help reduce the chances of becoming pregnant. Some
of those choices include: barrier, non-hormonal methods
such as condoms (male/female), diaphragm, spermicide, and
cervical cap; prescribed hormonal methods such as birth
control pills, depo provera, the patch, the ring, IUD’s,
among others; non-hormonal and non-barrier methods such
as continuous abstinence, outercourse, withdrawal (high
failure rate), and sterilization. If you have insurance through
an Illinois insurance company and they cover prescriptions
and outpatient care, then, under
a new Illinois Public Act, they have to cover prescribed
contraceptive methods/devices/procedures (not including ECP's,
abortion, or permanent sterilization). If you usually have
a co-pay or deductible, it would still apply to contraceptive
methods.
Top
Q. If I miss my period does that mean I’m pregnant?
A. Missing a period does not always mean a woman is pregnant.
It is very dependent on when she ovulates (see above) as
well as if she usually has a regular cycle. Missing a period
could be related to stress, hormonal imbalances, excessive
exercise, severe nutrition deficiencies, pregnancy, among
other potential factors. If you feel you could potentially
be pregnant (i.e. didn’t use a birth control method, your
usual method failed, etc.) then is it recommended you contact
a clinician for a pregnancy test to prove/disprove a pregnancy
(see the end of the FAQ for places to go to get a pregnancy
test).
Top
Q. If I miss my period what are my chances that I’m pregnant?
A. The only sure way of knowing if a woman is pregnant is
by taking a pregnancy test. There could be other factors
involved when a woman misses a period. If someone has protected/unprotected
sex there is always a chance of pregnancy, but to reduce
those chances it is recommended a birth control method
is used consistently (each and every time) and correctly.
Top
Q. Where can I get a pregnancy test?
A. If you live in the Chicago area you can see your primary
care physician, find the nearest Planned Parenthood location
at www.plannedparenthood.org, or if you are a UIC student
you can get a free pregnancy test at the UIC Family Medicine
Clinic by scheduling an appointment at 996.2901.
Top
Q. How much does a pregnancy test cost?
A. Cost of pregnancy test depends on where you go. Some insurance’s
may cover the cost, but it is recommended you contact your
insurance company if you’d like to know. If you are a UIC
student you can get a free pregnancy test at the UIC Family
Medicine Clinic by scheduling an appointment at 996.2901.
Some Planned Parenthood locations are on a sliding fee
scale, which means it depends on how much a person makes
as to how much they pay. It is recommended you contact
the Planned Parenthood location to find out this information
prior to scheduling an appointment.
Top
Q. If I have unprotected vaginal sex what are my options?
A. Unprotected vaginal sex can lead to pregnancy and the
transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s
– if you want more info about STI’s please contact the
Wellness Center). If you are worried that you/your partner
could get pregnant you can see about getting emergency
contraception (EC) within 72 hours of intercourse. EC only
reduces the chances of pregnancy from 1 encounter. EC can
be obtained through the UIC Family Medicine Clinic (by
appointment), Planned Parenthood (by phone, internet, or
appointment), or some primary care clinicians prescribe
EC. You also have the option of waiting to see if you do
become pregnant. The earliest most pregnancy tests can
detect a pregnancy is the first day of a missed period.
Top
Q. My birth control method didn’t work, what are my options?
A. If your birth control method didn’t work (broken condom,
missed pills, etc.) and are worried that you/your partner
could get pregnant you can see about getting emergency
contraception (EC) within 72 hours of intercourse. EC only
reduces the chances of pregnancy from 1 encounter. EC can
be obtained through the UIC Family Medicine Clinic (by
appointment), Planned Parenthood (by phone, internet, or
appointment), or some primary care clinicians prescribe
EC. You also have the option of waiting to see if you do
become pregnant. The earliest most pregnancy tests can
detect a pregnancy is the first day of a missed period.
Top
Q. Can I still get pregnant if my partner didn’t ejaculate
in me and we used protection?
A. The chances are very minimal, but again, there is always
a chance. Using a contraceptive method like condoms or hormonal
birth control methods AND withdrawal decreases the likelihood
of pregnancy even more (nearly 100%), but it is still not
guaranteed.
Top
Q. How long does sperm live in the female body?
A. Sperm can live in a woman’s body for 5 sometimes 7 days,
therefore a woman can get pregnant if she has sex up to
5 sometimes 7 days before ovulation.
Top
Q. Is it possible to get pregnant without having sex?
A. Oral and anal sex are considered to be fairly safe in
terms of getting pregnant, but if any semen gets in or around
the vaginal opening then there could be a chance of pregnancy.
Of course it still depends on ovulation as well.
Top
Q. I’m having signs/symptoms of pregnancy, could I be pregnant?
A. If you have had sexual intercourse then there could be
a chance of pregnancy, but the only way to find out is to
take a pregnancy test (see the resource list at the end of
the FAQ).
Top
Q. I’m on a 28-day cycle, when do I ovulate?
A. There is no way for us to know when you ovulate or if
someone is pregnant. You can use the fertility awareness
method (FAM) to chart your ovulation, but it is recommended
you schedule an appointment with a clinician to discuss this
method further as it is fairly structured. If you do not
use the FAM then ovulation is estimated.
Top
Q. My partner and I use protection some of the time, could
I still get pregnant?
A. Yes. Engaging in vaginal sex can lead to pregnancy, but
if protection is used consistently (each and every time)
and correctly then it reduces the chances of pregnancy. Each
birth control method has it’s own effectiveness rates as
well as pros and cons. It is best to talk with you partner
and clinician to figure out the best method for you.
Top
Q. My cycle is irregular, can I still get pregnant?
A. Yes. If your cycle is irregular, it’s more difficult for
you to even estimate when you may be ovulating. But, if a
woman is ovulating then they have the possibility of becoming
pregnant.
Top
Q. Can I get pregnant if I don’t ovulate?
A. No. Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovaries
to the fallopian tubes. If an egg is not released then it
cannot be fertilized by sperm and then is unable to implant
in the uterus (because there is no fertilized egg to implant).
So, if a woman is not ovulating then she is unable to get
pregnant.
Top
Q. Can I get pregnant if I’m on my period?
A. Some women can get pregnant if they have sex while on
their period as it depends on when they ovulate.
Top
Q. Can I get pregnant if my cycle isn’t 28-days?
A. Yes. It doesn’t matter what the length of your cycle is,
but when you ovulate. Please see the FAQ’s on ovulation.
Top
Q. How do you know when a woman is ovulating?
A. Ovulation occurs one day out of the woman's cycle and
is usually the middle day of the cycle. The first day of
a woman's cycle is the first day of her period/bleeding.
Hypothetically, if a woman is on a 28-day cycle then ovulation
may occur on day 14, with menstruation being days 1-5 (or
6... depending on what is normal for the woman). Ovulation
is usually an estimated day as the Fertility Awareness Method
(FAM) is the main method to track ovulation. If you’re interested
in using FAM as a birth control method it is recommended
you see a clinician to discuss the method as it is very structured.
Top
Q. When can I take a pregnancy test?
A. Most pregnancy test can be taken the first day of a missed
period. It is recommended anyone taking a home pregnancy
test (HPT) read the directions as they need to be followed
to the tee for accuracy.
Top
Q. Can pre-cum get me pregnant?
A. Yes, it is possible pre-cum can get a woman pregnant.
A male can release pre-cum multiple times throughout a sexual/intimate
encounter without knowing. If a condom is used it is highly
recommended it is used from erection to ejaculation each
and every time.
Top
Q. Can a woman get pregnant if she doesn’t have an orgasm?
A. Yes. Having an orgasm has nothing to do with when a woman
gets pregnant, but ovulation does. For more information on
the topic of ovulation please see the FAQ’s on ovulation.
Top
Important numbers and web addresses:
UIC Family Medicine Clinic
(UIC Students receive free pregnancy, HIV, chlamydia and
gonorrhea testing)
996.2901
Emergency Contraception Hotline (24 hours, English
and Spanish)
1-888-668-2528
Planned Parenthood General Information
1-800-230-PLAN
Planned Parenthood EC by phone (need a credit
card)
1-866-222-EC4U (3248)
Planned Parenthood EC4U on the web (need
a credit card)
http://www.ppca.org/ec4u/ec4umain.html
General EC information
http://ec.princeton.edu
Online EC prescription websites (need a credit card)
http://www.getthepill.com
http://www.morningafterpill.net
|
|
