risk

No method of contraception is 100% effective, even with perfect use. Please understand that when any two fertile, opposite-sex partners are having genital sex where genitals meet genitals, pregnancy is always a possibility. Birth control methods and practices reduce the risk of pregnancy -- more or...

It depends on when you start taking your pills for the first time, and on what level of protection you want. If you start the pill on the first day of your period, it's likely -- so long as you take every pill in that cycle during and after that week perfectly -- that you will be have the full...

Did your doctor have a discussion with you about the fact that your boyfriend may already have HPV? If you have been with him for a long time, and only recently was your HPV detected (particularly if you've been good about your STI testing and pap smears before now), you may well have gotten it from...

I’m going to break your question down some so we can be sure to touch on everything here. First, let’s talk a bit about readiness. Readiness for any type of sex happens for people at different ages, different points in the relationship, and even in some relationships and not others. One person may...

You already know that no method of contraception is 100% effective to prevent pregnancy. You probably also know, however, that there are reliable methods which are very effective when used properly, and that if you use contraception correctly and consistently, pregnancy becomes a whole lot less likely. But did you know that by doubling up and using two methods, with almost any combination you use, you can get mighty close to that 100% with most combos?

You're right, some antibiotics can interfere with hormonal birth control. Amoxicillin is noted as one of those antibiotics. It might cause your birth control to be less effective, so you'll want to make sure to use a backup method during any sexual contact until you start your next cycle of pills...

Before I answer your questions, I’d like to commend you for even getting yourself to the doctor for your yearly check up (a chore that many of us seem to avoid!) I’m also glad that your gynecologist tested you for Chlamydia because the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommends yearly Chlamydia...

Unfortunately, we don't come with an "oven ready" light that lets us know any medication we're taking is working. This includes birth control pills. So the only thing you really can do is make sure you're taking your pills correctly (same time everyday, not doing/taking anything to interfere, etc.)...

In order for oral contraceptives -- the birth control pill -- to be effective, they need to be taken every day. Missing one every now and then so long as you make it up within a day or so won't likely compromise your effectiveness all that much, but if you're missing a few pills regularly, that's...

I remember a few years back when a close friend and I decided that we were going to try bungee jumping. I was petrified the entire time that I was being strapped into the gear and in the end decided that I simply couldn’t do it. As I stepped down from the ledge with my friend my body was shaking and...