This is because sperm can survive in your body for up to six whole days (Yes! Six days!) waiting around on an egg.

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You should see a health care provider as soon as you can. If you are pregnant, you will need to start prenatal care. If you find that you are not pregnant, this would be a great time to discover your birth control options to prevent an unintended pregnancy.

Hope this helps.

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“I haven’t had my period for 2 months and I am sexually active.  I recently had a colposcopy and have taken many home pregnancy tests which all came up negative. I’ve been having hot flashes and stomach pains, but the doctor said that I am healthy. What do you think?“

We’re not sure how old you are, but we’ll tell you what we know! For older women, those symptoms (irregular periods and hot flashes) may be the beginning of menopause. We call this the perimenopausal period, which can last up to about ten years. If you have seen a practitioner, but are continuing to have symptoms that are painful, you might want to seek a second opinion.

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“Why can you not have sex during your period?”

Hey! You definitely can have sex during your period. Some couples just chose not to because of the bleeding.

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“My period is always really erratic and I took the morning after pill. How can I tell if I missed my period and am pregnant – or if it’s because of the pill?”

After taking emergency contraception it’s normal for your period to be a little later or earlier than usual. EC is pretty good at preventing pregnancy if you take it within five days of unprotected sex, so it’s unlikely you’re pregnant. But you can find out for sure by taking a pregnancy test three weeks after when you took the pill.

Want to have a more regular period and not worry about having to take emergency contraception? Some birth control methods work really well at preventing pregnancy and also help regulate your period.

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Unfortunately, that is something that cannot be answered here. You need to see a health care provider to see if this is normal for you. We sometimes see irregular menstrual cycles in young women who are just beginning to have their periods but there may be other conditions that are causing your periods to be irregular.

“I just started my period about 3 – 4 months ago, I had the second one 37 days later but haven’t had one since. Is that normal?”

Yes, it is normal for a woman’s menstrual cycles to be irregular when she first starts having her period. Once her periods are established, a woman’s menstrual cycle will typically be 28 – 29 days. The way to figure out the length of your cycle is to count from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period. The time that women bleed (length of menses) is usually 4 – 8 days. The amount of flow can vary also, but is usually heavier in the early days of menses and lighter toward the end of menses.

“I’m 13 and have not ever been sexually active. I’ve missed two periods in a row and I have some white vaginal discharge. What does this mean? Please help!”

For most young girls, the menstrual cycle starts at puberty, which is usually between ages 12 and 13, it may happen at a younger or older age. The first menstrual period is called “menarche.”

The menstrual cycle is about four weeks long, however, it can be very irregular when
a girl first starts her period. It may skip months or come several times per month in the beginning. Over time, most girl’s menstrual periods will become regular and you can keep a calendar so that you will be prepared for the start of your period.

It is normal for girls to have a discharge from the vagina that is clear or a white color. As long as the discharge does not cause itching, irritation or have a bad odor, then it is normal. Never douche to try to “clean” the vagina since this can wash away the good bacteria that your body needs to keep you from getting a yeast infection or a bacterial infection. Taking a bath or shower, using soap and water, is all you need to keep yourself clean and stop any odors.

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Although it’s not common for someone to be pregnant and have a “full” period, there are some women who do have a light period or vaginal spotting the first 2 or 3 months after becoming pregnant, as the womb (uterus) adjusts to the hormones of pregnancy.  Even with a full period, if you think you might be pregnant, you should go to your health care provider or local clinic and get a pregnancy test done right away.

“I had sex, but then the next day my period came. Could I be pregnant?”

You are not pregnant if you are having a normal menstrual cycle. The bigger question is do you want to become pregnant? If the answer is ‘no’, then seek the counsel of your care provider to discuss your birth control options.

“My boyfriend and I had sex on the 3rd week of the month. Is it possible to get pregnant even if my period came?”

If you have already had your menstrual cycle, and it was normal, then you most likely are not pregnant. There are times when a woman may be pregnant and still have her cycle, but that is not very common. A urine pregnancy test can be taken if you are still concerned.

Now, if you are not trying to get pregnant, you should see your health care provider for information on birth control. Natural family planning, where you time sex around your time of ovulation can be effective but is a bit more complicated than just choosing to have sex around your menstrual cycle.

“I’ve missed my period two months in a row. Around the time I was supposed to have my second period, I had some sort of brownish red discharge.  I am sexually active and mostly use the “pull out” method.  I took a pregnancy test a few days after I should have started my second period but it came back negative. I’m not sure what this means or what I should do .. help!”

You should see a care provider to be evaluated for pregnancy. The “pull out” method is not a reliable method to prevent pregnancy. Your care provider can discuss your options for birth control, provide testing for sexually transmitted infections as well as find out why you have missed periods if you are not pregnant.

Find out how to protect yourself by getting the education you need to make informed choices about your health.

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Once you begin Depo Provera for contraception, your periods may be early or late, shorter or longer, or heavier or lighter than normal. You may also have some spotting between periods, especially during the first several months of use.

Over time, your periods may stop completely, and this is normal. As long as you are getting your injections every 3 months, you should continue to be protected against pregnancy.

When you stop getting the Depo Provera shots, your periods will usually return within a year, but you are not protected against pregnancy.

If you have missed an injection, or if more than 13 weeks pass between injections and you think you may be pregnant, see your doctor.

Just a reminder, Depo Provera does not provide protection against sexually transmitted infections so latex condoms should be used.

“Can you get pregnant while on The Depo Shot?”

Although it is uncommon, there is a small chance. For 100 women that use the Depo Provera Shots, about 10 will experience an unintended pregnancy. Therefore, it is really important to get the shots on time. Depo Provera shots are every 3 months.

Remember: the Depo Provera shot does not protect against sexually transmitted infections so use a latex condom for added protection against pregnancy and infection.

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The answer? It is unlikely, but still possible—especially if you’re not using a condom or birth control. Some women produce an egg at irregular times (ovulation) and since the male sperm can live up to 72 hours, these women may be able to get pregnant even though they are on their period especially towards the very end of their period.

If you’re worried, the only way to know for sure is to visit your doctor.

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Yes, you can both get and give an STD, including HIV, when you are on your period.

Side note: It is also a myth that you cannot get pregnant when on your period.

Using condoms consistently and correctly is the only way to prevent STD transmission if you’re sexually active. Regular STD checkups can help as well if you have more than one sex partner, since condoms don’t protect all the way from all the STDs, and many STDs don’t have symptoms.

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