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You can get pregnant as a result of having vaginal sex without using contraception or if your usual method of contraception fails.
If you’re worried you might be pregnant then it can be hard to think clearly so let’s run through some of the basics.
To become pregnant, an egg must be released from your ovaries and then fertilised by sperm. Every month you release an egg (sometimes two) around 14 days after the first day of your period, or 10-16 days before the start of your next period. The egg travels down the fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries to the womb. Once released, the egg lives for around 24 hours. This process is called ovulation.
You are more likely to become pregnant during ovulation, but it’s difficult to know exactly when you are ovulating because your menstrual cycle can vary each month.
Although this might make it sound like there is a small chance of getting pregnant, it is important to remember that sperm can live in your body for up to seven days.
If you’ve had sex without using contraception within the last five days, or you think your contraception may have failed for some reason, don’t panic – you can usually prevent pregnancy by using emergency contraception if you act fast.
You can use a Risk of Pregnancy Calculator to work out what your chances are of getting pregnant and which emergency contraception might be available to you.
Remember, emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Find out about STIs and getting tested, and remember, STIs don’t always cause symptoms so you can’t be certain you don’t have one without being tested.
Emergency contraceptive pills work by preventing or delaying ovulation. It is more effective the sooner you take it. You can get the emergency contraceptive pill for free from sexual health clinics, your GP or most pharmacies.
When you go to get the pill, you will be asked some questions about another other medications you might be taking, when you had unprotected sex and where you are in your menstrual cycle.
The copper coil is the most effective form of emergency contraception. It is a plastic and copper t-shaped device that is fitted into the uterus (womb).
The coil must be fitted by a specially trained doctor or nurse within five days of unprotected sex, or five days after the earliest time you could have ovulated.
If you have the coil fitted as emergency contraception you can then continue to use this as your regular method of contraception for the next few years.
The easiest way to tell if you’re pregnant is if you miss a period. Most pregnant people won’t get a period but some people experience spotting or lighter/shorter bleeding. Changes to your bleeding pattern may be an indication of early pregnancy.
Implantation bleeding, which can happen as the fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterus lining, can be mistaken for a period. Implantation bleeding happens between 6 to 12 days after ovulation, while a period usually starts 10 to 16 days after ovulation, so it’s easy to mistake one for the other. However, in general implantation bleeding is lighter, more intermittent and a different, lighter colour than a period.
Some people experience no symptoms in the first few weeks of pregnancy, while others can tell they’re pregnant because they feel different. The only way to find out for sure if you’re pregnant is by taking a pregnancy test.
Common symptoms and signs of early pregnancy:
Pregnancy tests usually involve weeing on a small plastic stick, or sometimes, weeing into a cup and dipping in a test stick. The test is looking for the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) which is present in the wee of someone who is pregnant.
The test will display either a ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ result (check the instructions if you’re doing the test yourself for how to recognise this).
A negative result means you probably aren’t pregnant but it could also be that the hormone is not yet detectable. If the test is negative, but your period doesn’t happen when you expect it to, it’s recommended that you take another pregnancy test, and this is usually done a week after the first test.
You may also find it useful to visit a clinic to speak to a doctor or nurse about the test result, or if you are worried. This might also be a good time to talk to someone about contraception, if you weren’t trying to get pregnant.
A positive result means that you are almost definitely pregnant. It’s important to see a doctor or nurse as soon as possible so they can help you think about your options.
If you’re pregnant it’s you who gets to decide if you want to continue or end the pregnancy.
It takes a while for the HCG hormone to build up in the body so there is no point doing a pregnancy test straight after unprotected sex. If you’re worried about the risk of pregnancy at this point, it’s advisable to use emergency contraception. This will work up to five days after unprotected sex.
To get an accurate result it’s best to test three weeks (or 21 days) after unprotected sex or straight after your period should have been due (whichever is sooner), if you test before this time there may not be enough of the pregnancy hormone to show up in your urine.
You can buy pregnancy tests from reputable sources like a pharmacist or supermarket, they usually cost around £3-£15. If you are doing the test yourself make sure you follow the instructions carefully and follow it up with a visit to the doctor or nurse if you have any questions.
You can get a pregnancy test free of charge from Brook services, young people’s services, sexual health (GUM) clinics and your GP.
If you are pregnant there are three options available to you and you have the right to choose any one of them:
For some people, making a decision about pregnancy is easy. For others, it might be difficult. However easy or hard you find the decision, it is your decision to make. The more you feel you have made your own choice, the better you will feel in the future.
advice
The most important thing is to talk to someone as soon as possible, that way you give yourself time to consider all the options. If you talk to Brook, we will support you in the decision making process – we cannot and will not make the decision for you but we are here to listen and given accurate relevant advice and we will not judge you for the decisions you take.
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