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I need some help please... I'm 22, in college, in a nation with poor sex-ed. I've come back from recess on the 9th of October, a few days after my period ended. It has been a bit irregular in length and came a week earlier than due for about 2 months. A few years ago I was also told by a doctor that I have a cyst on my ovaries. I didn't think much of it to be honest. Anyway, me and my long time boyfriend, whom I haven't seen in ages, did the natural thing couples do and we played around. I always make him wash his hands with soap before we start, and we never have any contact skin to skin before. If he ejaculates, it's caught in a few layers of clothing, like a good pair of undies and pants. Well, we did this quite often, and he never touches me without clean hands. But now my period is a week late, I've been under terrible stress since the 9th of October, and my whole life schedule changed in those weeks. I'm also busy with finals. I didn't feel strange at all at first, got my pms symptoms on time, everything was great but now I'm a week late with my period. I have cramps, and my breasts are only sore when I touch them too much now I'm wondering... Can the towel he uses to dry his hands possibly contained some old semen? We never had penetrating sex, only touched each other and went fully clothed. Never had issues like this. He says I cannot possibly be pregnant. I'm still afraid because many home tests are not 100℅ accurate, and blood tests are out of question because it's insanely expensive in my country. (About 70 dollars if you exchange rates.) I cannot speak to my fear evoking parents about this because they will take me out of college as punishment. There are also no pregnancy crisis centres in my area. I'm scared... I have nobody and nothing to turn to and ask for help...
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Hello Saffakind,
Welcome to the EmpowHER community. I am very glad you reached out to us with your concern and questions.
Without engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse, there is no way that you could be pregnant.
You need not fear that you could have become pregnant by using the towel that your boyfriend dried his hands with. Sperm can live outside the body for about 2o minutes. Once semen has dried, all sperm is dead.
High stress levels are the probable cause for the delay in the start of your period. During periods of prolonged and high stress, the body produces more of the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol. Essentially, the body tries to make sure essential functions get a priority. The menstrual cycle does not get priority ranking, so you can miss or have a delayed period.
If you have a few minutes, please take a look at this slideshow, "Am I Pregnant? Myths and Facts About Sex".
https://www.empowher.com/pregnancy/content/am-i-pregnant-myths-and-facts-about-sex
You may find helpful information by visiting our Sex 101 page.
https://www.empowher.com/condition/sex-101
We are here whenever you need us.
November 11, 2016 - 9:21amMaryann
This Comment
Thank you so much for all the help. Your advice and support really calmed me down and sure enough, my period came today. Thank you so very much. I'll be sure to recommend this site to anyone who needs advice and help in the future. Much love xxx
November 14, 2016 - 10:00amThis Comment