I would appreciate a little light shed on my question, it puzzles me greatly. I asked a good while ago if I could start on Birth Control, and my father actually wouldn't mind, in fact, he supports it. My stepmother, on the other hand, doesn't seem comfortable with it. Despite the obvious discomfort, she said she'd call her doctor and see what she could do. Days later, she told me they won't take anyone under 18. This confused me. I know many teenagers on Birth Control. I hope she's not just saying that, although it wouldn't be the first time she did something rather similar to that. At first I got the feeling that she thought I would change if I was on the pill, like I was invincible and I could never get pregnant, so I can have sex whenever I want. The thing is, I'm not sexually active, I'm a virgin. I often get the feeling she thinks I'm a tramp. I would NEVER think in that fashion. So, my question to you, do you have to be a certain age to consult a doctor about Birth Control? And although I'm only 16, would that be my personal choice to take the pill? Or do they have a say in it until I'm a legal adult?

Can my birth control be drying me out? My boyfriend and I have tried to have sex 3 times and we can't get it in. Should I switch my birth control?

Does it make it harder to get pregnant if the girl is on top and the guy is using a condom? My girlfriend and I are ready and we both wanted to know.

Hey Sexperts,
I've been on the combination birth control pill Lutera for about a month and a half now. The problem is, on the first pack, my period came halfway through the second active pill week and lasted until almost the end of the inactive pill week (almost a 3 week period!). It was really light, but still super annoying. I shrugged off the experience thinking my body was just getting used to the hormones and stuff.

I've started the second pack and I'm halfway through the second week of active pills and my period has come again! Do you think it will last until the end of the inactive pill week (do I have to suffer through another 3-week long period)? Also, does this irregular period mean the pill isn't working? I am sexually active so I sure hope the pill is working!!!!!!!

Thank you!

I am sexually active and I have a boyfriend and I have been on the the pill (I have tried a few different brands) for about 21 months now and have always had some problems with my mood/personality/I've turned into a huge bitch since I have been on it. The pill I am on right now, Ortho-Tricyclen Lo, has given me the least problems with this but I strongly feel like I am still pretty psychotic (I know that more than pills has to be blamed for this but I know it must have something to do with it). I need to know if I should go off the pill and use condoms (which I don't want to do) or if I should try a different birth control method (I though the Copper IUD looked good but also kind of scary) or maybe if I just need therapy or something. I like being on the pill for other reasons but I am sort of freaked out by how I am sometimes.

My boyfriend and I have been together for about 2 months and we just started having sex. He was my first and I am completely in love with him. We've been protected for 4 of the times with a condom, but tonight we didn't use one. He was about to pull out right before, but he came. I'm really scared that I could become pregnant and I know that one of my friends has the "morning after" pill, but I feel bad taking it. I am so worried and confused. HELP ME!

Ok, so I lost my virginity at 14. I'm 16 now, and I had unprotected sex about 2 weeks ago with my boyfriend who is 18. I didn't want to have it without a condom because I'm not on birth control, but he wanted to, and he's done so much for me in the past (not sexually), that I felt I owed him this. I told him that the only way I would have unprotected sex, he would have to pull out. I think he pre-ejaculated in me, but thats it. I was supposed to get my period 9 days ago, but I haven't gotten it yet. Could I be pregnant? I told my boyfriend I was late but he's convinced it's just because I've been under extra stress because of midterms. Help?

I heard about a male birth control pill a few years ago but have not heard anything about it since. Does it even exist? Other than the condom, I feel like it's always the woman's responsibility. I know that the consequences of unprotected sex are heavier for women but I would love it if it wasn't always the woman who had to throw her body out of whack by taking birth control. That said, the pill and other hormonal birth control methods all seem to have some health risk involved (increased breast cancer risk, cardiovascular risk, etc.) I know we need to protect ourselves, but it seems extreme to take all these health risks to avoid pregnancy (considering the fact that many people who use birth control do not even use a condom or protection against STIs). I just think that if a man loved a woman, he would not want her to increase her risk of certain health problems by taking the pill. Is the condom really a dependable method for someone like me who refuses to take hormonal birth control? There are just so many choices to make when becoming sexually active.

My girlfriend and I had sex about a week and a half before her period was due with a spermicidal condom on. Now she five days late and I'm really worried. We took a pregnancy test and it came out negative. I keep hearing that you can take a HPT after a missed period but, isn't there still a certain amount of days you need to wait regardless of a missed period? My worry, even after we took the HPT is that we had sex so close to her period that the test wouldn't be accurate for another week or so. Also, do spermicidal condoms work pretty well?

Does the amount of estrogen in birth control pills (ex. low, high or moderate levels) have any effect on protection against pregnancy? For example, is it better to take a birth control pill with a higher level of estrogen than one of the newer "low dose" ones? Will the protection be the same?

Is it true if you pee or wash your vagina after sex you can prevent pregnancy?