Can you get pregnant from having sex with your cousin? Yeah, it happened to me, and now I think I'm pregnant. It was anal, also. Please help me, fast!

Dear Leah,

Yes, you can get pregnant from having vaginal intercourse with any relative, be he a cousin, brother or whatever.

I'm sorry, but from your question I can't tell if all you had was anal intercourse, or if you had anal and vaginal intercourse. If you only had anal, you would be much less likely to get pregnant from that alone. However, there's the slang expression of "splash conception," which it might be called if the semen ran out of your rear, into your vagina, and somehow managed to get you pregnant. If you had unprotected vaginal intercourse, the possibility of being pregnant is much higher.

So, some of the first questions are:

1. Are you sure you are pregnant? (Home pregnancy test? Healthcare provider test?) If not, get a home pregnancy test and read the instructions carefully. Some require you to wait until the time when you would have had your period. Others claim to be able to tell sooner.

2. If the sex happened five days ago or less, an excellent option would be Plan B (aka emergency contraception or the morning-after pill). Click HERE for more info about it.

If you have a healthcare provider who you are comfortable contacting, you might do so immediately. A good alternative is to call your local Planned Parenthood and tell them about your concerns.

I don't know how close you are to your parents and if you feel you can tell them. If that's a possibility, they might be able to be very helpful. If not, do you have an aunt or teacher who you are close to who you could call for help? What about a friend's mother who you could trust to be a good resource? And what about your cousin? Have you told him? Here's more from Scarleteen that you might find helpful.

Please understand that you aren't the first person on the planet to have sex with her cousin. I'm willing to bet it is a lot more common than we think. But like any woman who thinks she is pregnant and doesn't want to be, you will need to put together a plan of action and act quickly.

Best wishes,
Paul, author of "Guide To Getting It On!"

if you are interested in Paul's book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1885535694/goofyfootpres