Ginea,
The Withdrawal Method (or "pull out" method) is not stupid at all! You can read more about this as an actual form of birth control at Planned Parenthood: Withdrawal Method. When young adults and teenagers tell us that they used the pull out method with their boyfriend, we encourage them to use a second form of birth control, as the effectiveness rate for this birth control is not very high when used between two people who are "new" to each other and not as "practiced" with this technique. The effectiveness rate for these couples who likely are not using this method perfectly each time, the typical use has an effectiveness rate of only 73%.
However, for a couple that has been sexually intimate for years and years together, and this is their choice of birth control, the effectiveness rate can increase to 96% (at preventing pregnancy) with "perfect use".
(These numbers compare to "perfect use" of hormonal contraception at 99%, and condoms at 98%, which are both methods that are easier to use "perfectly").
Home pregnancy tests are very reliable at detecting any "pregnancy hormone" once you have a missed period, so you can be fairly confident in your results. The symptoms you describe may be hormonal: upcoming period or pregnancy, or they may be related to an illness that your body is fighting off. (It is cold/flu season!)
Please do not be scared of any results, as information is power! Many, many women have late or even missed periods, and it can be from many causes that are not "scary". If you do not start your period in the next few days, I would recommend calling your doctor Monday. Most GYN offices have a nurse-on-call who can let you know if you need to be seen, or many will tell you to wait until next month's period. (It really is that common!). If you have any troubling symptoms, you can always request to be seen, just to rule out any medical conditions. But, please know, what you are going through is common for many women!
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Ginea,
The Withdrawal Method (or "pull out" method) is not stupid at all! You can read more about this as an actual form of birth control at Planned Parenthood: Withdrawal Method. When young adults and teenagers tell us that they used the pull out method with their boyfriend, we encourage them to use a second form of birth control, as the effectiveness rate for this birth control is not very high when used between two people who are "new" to each other and not as "practiced" with this technique. The effectiveness rate for these couples who likely are not using this method perfectly each time, the typical use has an effectiveness rate of only 73%.
However, for a couple that has been sexually intimate for years and years together, and this is their choice of birth control, the effectiveness rate can increase to 96% (at preventing pregnancy) with "perfect use".
(These numbers compare to "perfect use" of hormonal contraception at 99%, and condoms at 98%, which are both methods that are easier to use "perfectly").
Home pregnancy tests are very reliable at detecting any "pregnancy hormone" once you have a missed period, so you can be fairly confident in your results. The symptoms you describe may be hormonal: upcoming period or pregnancy, or they may be related to an illness that your body is fighting off. (It is cold/flu season!)
Please do not be scared of any results, as information is power! Many, many women have late or even missed periods, and it can be from many causes that are not "scary". If you do not start your period in the next few days, I would recommend calling your doctor Monday. Most GYN offices have a nurse-on-call who can let you know if you need to be seen, or many will tell you to wait until next month's period. (It really is that common!). If you have any troubling symptoms, you can always request to be seen, just to rule out any medical conditions. But, please know, what you are going through is common for many women!
September 24, 2009 - 2:12pmThis Comment
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