Can I Get Pregnant If…
As a general rule of thumb, if a pregnancy question begins with the fact that there was a penis inside of a vagina, the answer is probably, “yes, you could be pregnant.” (Don’t totally freak here, “could be pregnant” is different than “are pregnant.”) The reality is, men and women’s bodies are designed to reproduce. So in order to get them not to, you have to either abstain from sex or rely on the miracles of modern science (ie: birth control). You can’t rely on yoga poses, Coca-Cola douches, or elaborate voodoo ceremonies. The following are 10 scenarios that are NOT reliable ways to protect against an unplanned pregnancy.
You CAN get pregnant if…
A girl is on her period. Sperm can live in the vagina for five to seven days. So even if sex occurred when a girl was on her period (and likely not at a fertile part of the cycle), the little spermies can make themselves at home, and wait around until a girl is fertile.
It’s your first time. All sex is created equal. Meaning, it could be your first or 81st time and you’re equally as likely to get pregnant.
You had sex standing up or with a girl on top. It doesn’t matter where or in what position you have sex, unless you’re using birth control of some kind, there will be semen in the girl’s vagina. It may seem like most of it drips out, but trust me…there’s still some in there.
You did jumping jacks after sex. Good for you for staying fit! Unfortunately, jumping jacks aren’t good for anything but getting your heart rate up.
You douched, peed, or took a bath right after having sex. (First of all, you pee out of a different hole…and while it’s always good to pee after sex to prevent urinary tract infections, your pee hole has nothing to do with pregnancy.) And, even if you do douche, take a bath, or flush out your vagina, once semen is up there, the damage is done.
You had sex in a pool, the ocean, or a hot tub. Where you have sex doesn’t matter…pregnancy is still a possibility. Even if there is some water involved, that doesn’t flush out the sperm. (Don’t worry though, if a guy ejaculates in a pool or hot tub—and intercourse wasn’t involved—it’s VERY unlikely that you could get pregnant from that.)
He pulled out. Sex is like basketball, you dribble before you shoot. Even if a guy successfully pulls out, his pre-cum (the stuff that comes out before ejaculation) can get you pregnant.
He came right outside your vagina. You can actually get pregnant even when a guy ejaculates near your vaginal opening. Any vaginal mucus that’s around your vagina can literally serve as a slip n’ slide for sperm to swim into your vagina and all the way up.
You did a lot of drugs, had an eating disorder, your body is unhealthy .Even if your body is unhealthy, your reproductive system is probably working just fine and it’s not worth the risk to have unprotected sex. That being said, if you are suffering from an eating disorder or have addiction problems, you should seek help immediately.
He’s a stoner, wears tighty whiteys, drinks a lot of Mountain Dew. Ditto. So maybe a guy’s habits are lowering his sperm count from 4 million to 3 million. Even so…he’s still working with A LOT of sperm.
There are no tricks or exceptions when it comes to preventing pregnancy. (If any of these things actually worked, birth control and condom companies would be out of business.) The only way to reliably protect yourself from pregnancy is to be on an ACTUAL method of birth control. And though nothing is 100%, it will significantly reduce your chances of becoming pregnant. Check out our list of birth control methods and make sure you keep yourself protected. Every time.
Have questions about birth control methods or sex myths? Email us!
* image credit: flickr.com
UPDATE: Hi guys—based on the comments below, there are a LOT of questions about whether doing one thing or another could get you pregnant. The bottom line? If you're having sex, you could get pregnant. If you've decided to become sexually active—even if that doesn't mean actually have full on intercourse, but just messing around with your partner—you have to figure out a reliable method of birth control that you use every single time you have sex. And if you're not ready to have sex, that's totally and completely ok, too—it's the only 100% effective method of birth control, so don't write off waiting! In the meantime, if you think you may be pregnant or if you're ready to get on birth control, it's time to see a doctor or health care professional. Need to find one? Use our clinic locator.
Amber Madison has been writing about sex, love, and relationships since college (she went to Tufts University) when she wrote for her school newspaper's sex ed column. Since graduating, she's published two books: Hooking Up: A Girl's All-Out Guide to Sex and Sexuality and Talking Sex With Your Kids and has been quoted in a ton of different media outlets from Seventeen magazine to MTV to NPR. Have a question for Amber? Send us an email!
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WHAT OTHER TEENS ARE SAYING:
I been taking my birth control regularly for 6 months I planed on changing my birth control pill to a lesser estrogen and I had sex the day before and my boyfriend came inside of me and I started the new pill the next day is there a possibility I could be pregnant?
so should i be worried if he ejaculated inside me and day after i got my period?
Me and my boyfriend have been dating for two years lately we have been having sex and he has came inside of me more then once for the past 3 months and I’m still not pregnant , he has recently used crystal meth (maybe March) he said he has stopped but I’m not sure to believe him , I’m always wrong to him . He does smoke pot everyday and I smoke every once in a while when I get to see him . I really don’t know what to think . I need some help , I feel stupid to not realize if he’s on drugs .
If I use a condom AND the pull out method, is that a good method?
So me and my boyfriend had sex June 19th and June 23rd . He peed before we had sex and he had a condom on also he did not finish inside me. What are the chances that i can be pregnant ?
when is the best time to test for pregnacy ?
Hi, i have been off of birth control for about 5 months now, and i havent had a period since i have been off of it. My fiance and I were having sex and he came in me. I was wondering what the chances of me getting pregnant were? I really need help, because im so very curious. Anything will help me.
Can I still get pregnant if he precame right outside of my vagina and I took the plan b pill 20 hours later?
What if a girl has a period like two out of three weeks. Kinda as if she never is off of it can she still get pregant
i recently tried having sex for my first time and ever since then my stomach has been feeling odd. we really didnt have sex but my bf kept trying to put his penis in me which hurt. he popped my cherry but it wasnt full on sex and he didnt ejaculate at all. and yes we used a condom so could i possibly be pregnant ?
If I have unsafe sex and he cumes in me but I start my period a couple hours after could I still get pregnant?
I just got off my period a week ago && my boyfriend came inside me….am I pregnant??
So I’m late I have my period at the begging of the month, but nothing it’s almost the end of the month I’m scared and we use the pull out method.Could I possibly be pregnate?
We used a condom and he came inside of me but after we checked to see if there was a hole in the condom with filling it with water and there wasn’t could I still be pregnant?
What are the chance that I got my girlfriend pregnant if I used protection
I have a question..me and my boyfriend had sex last night and he pulled out the I gave him a blow job and we went back at it agian,is there a chance I could be pregnant now??
I had sex a few weekz ago he came inside me then a week later he did the same thing. And again two days ago he doesnt tell me and its bothersome. I started my period today. I’m not on birth control, how an I not pregnant? Or could I be pregnant and not know it? Suggestions? I hate putting things in my body I like being natural but if this continues in afraid I might get pregnant or have to get on BC…
me and my bf have unprotected sex but i still have my period but theirs times where i feel really sick and the home pregnancy tests came out negative ?
So, the other day I tried having sex for the first time, we used a condom and tried to get the head in, it hurt really bad so we kept starting and stopping and finally we just stopped because it was too uncomfortable. He never came but I was wet. But now, my period is two days late..help?
I had unprotected sex and he ejaculated inside me and my period came straight on could I be pregnant?
My (ex) boyfriend wanted to have kids right away but I’m too young (18) and don’t want to start a family right away and he kept telling me I wouldn’t get pregnant the first time he came in me and it’s really scary to think he tried tricking me to get me pregnant…. Don’t have children until you’re 120% sure.
I got my period on April 21 to April 27 I didn’t get it at all in May but I got 4 negative pregnancy test I got my period on June 2 to June 6 what does this mean??????
My girlfriend just started birth control it’s been 7 days since she started we had sex and I came in her are the chances if get pregnant high?
What about pulling out then having sex after you pulled out
I had sex last Friday and I’ve been on birth control for over three years, my period has stopped completely. I was “on my period” or just taking sugar pills for a week and Thursday night I took my hormone pill again, then Friday afternoon I had sex and he wasn’t even fully erect, but he was wearing a condom and he even changed it and one point. It’s been a week since the sex and I’m wondering if the fact that I had just gotten off my period could affect anything, and alsoif I could be pregnant or not? I have not taken a test yet and I don’t feel any different, or have any nauseous feelings, but I do have a cold and allergies.
Okay so I had my pants on but he didn’t, and he ejaculated. Could I be pregnant?
I did not use birth control or a condom can I get pregnant?
Can you be pregnant if you sit on him but he doesnt go in and aren’t sure if anything came out?
Can a girl get pregnant if a guy ejaculates in her, but she’s on the pill?
What is the earliest sign if pregnancy there is?
Me & my boyfriend recently had sex & he came near my vagina.. Now I’m afraid I’m pregnant.. What should I do??
Could you get pregnant if you give him a blow job and he wipes it off then a few hours he goes in and out really fast?
I have been taking birth control for two years now. I have just gotten off of my period and only took the first two days of my pack. Last night my boyfriend ejaculated in me. I am debating if I should or should not go and get a plan b pill just to be safe about the situation. Please help.
Can you always get pregnant if the boy comes in you?
I’m 16 and I am a virgin. All my friends have had sex before and they know I haven’t. They constantly ask me when I am going to sleep with someone. is it bad I am still a virgin?
Me and my boyfriend had unprotected sex this morning. About 6 hours later i started my period. Is there any possible way I could be pregnant??
Me and my boyfriend had sex 2 days after my cycle. He pulled out every time. We had sex a couple of times that day. He didnt cum until the last time but he pulled out before he did. And it took him a few minutes before he came. Could i be pregant? Help im worried.
My boyfriend rubbed his penis on my vagina but it didn’t go in, earlier I had felt that he had pre-cum. Can I get pregnant? If so is it something that happens a lot?
Can I get pregnant from pre ejaculate
Im a virgin, but my boyfriend placed only part of the top of his penis in my vagina for a couple of seconds (temptation stroked us) and then took it out. Then he ejaculated, but far away from my vagina. Can I still get pregnant by this?
i have a question , this month i didnt get my period till these last days of the month but 2-3 days before i got it i had unprotected sex and he let it out in me twice , can i still become pregnant after my periid is over ?
Can I still get pregnant if we had sex and he cums and I start my period the next day
What if u were off of birth control for about a month or two. And you had in planned sex and he got off on the outside but you felt some come out of your stuff then what?
I had sex for the first time with a guy that has a girlfriend and he didn’t use a condom and I’m not on birth control.. He ejaculated outside my vagina I think..my Pajama pants had cum on them so I really don’t know what to do
Me and my gf tried to have sex but my penis did not fit but im not sure if precum got im her cause we were just rubbing against eahother can she still get pregnant ? Need answeres fast !!
I had sex the day before I started my period. Since I started it so soon is there still a chance I could be pregnant?
He eiaculated near my vagina and close inner thigh what do I do I can’t get pregnant I have a big future ahead of me
Hey. So I had sex 7 days ago. First time sex. We used condom, went slow and we had it only for two minutes. He says that he checked it and the condom was not broken. He says not to worry and that we’re completely safe. But I’m freaking out so bad. I don’t even remember my period date last month so I don’t know I’m late or not. What should I do now?
So I attempted to have sex for the first time, he had a condom on, and he never went all the way in because it was to tight, so my “cherry didnt pop” and as far as I know he didn’t ejaculate, but I’m not sure….is there any chance that I could be pregnant?
Can you get pregnant if you in your safe period..i mean a day or two to your perriod and a guy come in you?
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