Family Planning Plus

I had my period on nov 22 to 27, had unprotected sex on dec 1 according to a calculator I was fertile :/. He did not come, he pulled out, I took plan b with in 6 hrs. On the 14th I started bleeding which lasted for 4 days, bleeding after plan b is suppose to be considered a period. It was my first time using plan b, yesterday I took a pregnancy test it was negative. Since I was fertile what are the chances that the test is accurate and that plan b worked? Also ive gotten white/clear discharge like normal after my period when I bled after plan b, I dont feel any pregnancy symptoms. Should I take another test or am I okay?

Fertility cannot be accurately calculated unless you’ve been checking your basal body temperature and your cervical mucus on a daily basis and charting the results for an extended period.  Not everyone ovulates on day 14 of the menstrual cycle, counting from the first day of their menstrual period.  Although most women ovulate anywhere between Day 11 – Day 21 of their cycle, not all women do.  Therefore, you may or may not have been fertile at the time of the incident.

Secondly, he did not ejaculate inside of you and you used Plan B within 6 hours of the incident.  Third, you are not experiencing any pregnancy symptoms and the test you took was negative.  Your risk of pregnancy is extremely low, and I wouldn’t worry about taking another pregnancy test unless you skip your next period.

It would be good to seriously consider a more reliable method of birth control so you don’t need to worry so much again.  If you are interested in trying a hormonal method, please call one of our offices and make an appointment.  We can…

I have been on birth control for about five years now and I have been very consistent with taking them. My boyfriend and I had sex thursday night and he finished inside of me. I forgot to take my pill that night and I took my pill the next day at the regular time and then tonight, saturday, I took two pills because i realized i was behind. I was also not ovulating. Could I be pregnant?

Even when using the birth control pill perfectly, there is still a slight risk of pregnancy.  Since you took two pills late, there is a greater risk that you may have ovulated and therefore, a greater risk of pregnancy.  However, the risk is still small. In the future, if you miss a pill, take it as soon as you remember and then take the next pill at the regular time.  If you don’t realized you’ve missed a pill until you’re ready to take your next pill, take two at that time.  On Friday, you should have taken Thursday’s and Friday’s pills at the same time.  Instead, you took Thursday’s pill on Friday, and then took both Friday’s and Saturday’s pills on Saturday.  It could be worse though.  You might have missed two pills in a row which would have increased the likelihood of ovulation or you might not have made up your pills at all.  Continue to take your pills.  Be sure to take them on time for the remainder of the pack.  You may experience some breakthrough bleeding or spotting due…

I’ve been on the depo shot for over a year now. I had abnormal bleeding at first due to the side effects of it, which I know is normal. For about the past six months or so, I have no longer received a period. A couple months ago I found out that I have HPV. I had a colposcopy. All of my results came back negative but I now go every 6 months to get a pap just to check everything. I just recently started having sex with my boyfriend a couple weeks ago. Last week we had sex multiple times and it was a bit rough. It started to become painful for me and I started to have light bleeding. It’s been about three days since we last had sex and now I am bleeding more heavily. Not quite as much as a normal period, but close. I’m worried because I have not had a period in months because of being on the depo shot so this is not normal for me. Is this bleeding something I should be worried about and have checked out, or is more just because we had rough sex?

Irregular bleeding and spotting can occur while receiving the DepoProvera injection, but this is most likely to occur within the first several months and should resolve after 1 year of therapy. Painful intercourse and bleeding that progressively becomes heavier after intercourse is not a result of the Depo injection, HPV infection or colposcopy. These symptoms may be signs of  a vaginal infection such as yeast, bacterial vaginosis or chlamydia. Please schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider for an infection check.

I’ve been taking birthcontrol regularly for 4 years. I had unprotected sex last night and started antibiotics this morning. Will my birthcontrol still be effective or should I be considering Plan B?

Yes, your birth control pills will still be active. The antibiotic has not been in your body long enough to alter the effectiveness of your birth control. However, remember to either abstain from intercourse or use a back up method, like a condom, for the remainder of the time you are on the antibiotics and for 7 days after the completion of the antibiotic.

does ortho tryclen lo have a lower dosage which means less mood swings and less weight gain or would it be the same?

OrthoTriCyclen-Lo does contain lower doses of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, so, theorectically, side effects such as weight gain and mood swings should be decreased. However, many recent studies show that birth control pills in general do not cause women to gain weight. While many women do seem to gain weight while on oral contraceptives, researchers think that other factors are to blame (decreased activity, increased calorie intake, poor diet).

As far as mood swings…many oral contraceptives can cause mood swings. These may be temporary, especially if you just started the pill. Your body needs time to adjust to the hormone shifts that occur when starting oral contraceptives, and the moodiness will resolve after a month or two. However, if the moodiness continues and cannot be contributed to any major life change, speak to your healthcare provider. A change in pills may be necessary.

Can alcohol decrease the effectiveness of birth control (depo shot)?

No, alcohol does not decrease the effectiveness of the Depo-Provera injection. However, alcohol use does affect your perceptions, judgement and decision making skills. Those people, especially teens, who drink alcohol are more likely to participate in sexually risky behaviors. People under the influence of alcohol (or drugs) may not be thinking clearly about the consequences of sexual activity, especially if its unprotected sex: pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, to name a few. Several studies have shown a coorelation between alcohol use and regretted sexual activity. Being drunk or high also makes one more vulnerable, increasing the chances of sexual assault.

So, although alcohol use won’t affect the effectiveness of birth control, alcohol use does have an impact on sexual activity and health. If you have any further questions or concern, please call one of our clinics for free information.

It’s embarrassing to say anything about but after I have sex, it burns to go to the bathroom and now I’ve been itchy of a few days. Do you have any idea why this might be?

You probably have some type of infection.  Yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are very common and can cause these types of symptoms.  Both of these infections are not sexually transmitted.  However, the symptoms you described can also be caused by a sexually transmitted infection.  If you have an STD, treatment is essential.  Call one of our offices for a free STD screening.  At your free visit, we can also check under the microscope for yeast and BV.  If we find an infection, we can prescribe the appropriate medication for you.

I am a week into my second pack of birth control, and haven’t missed any pills of this new pack. My boyfriend and I had sex, and he finished inside. What is the likelihood that I could get pregnant? Should I take Plan B?

Your risk of pregnancy is extremely low and Plan B is not needed.

I been taking microgestin birth control pills for a month and a half now. Me and my boyfriend had sex on December 19th and the condom had slipped off at the end. I seen his cum on my thighs and my bed. Also the condom was on my vagina. But on December 23rd I’ve been feeling tired, i feel like throwing up at times, and today my boobs hurts. Could i be pregnant?

You may simply be having some pre-menstrual symptoms and will soon get your period.  Also, it usually takes longer than four days after a possible conception for pregnancy symptoms to show up.  If you are taking your pills at the same time everyday and have not missed any pills, pregnancy is unlikely.  However, according to studies, even when used perfectly, three women out of 1000 can still become pregnant during their first year of pill use.  The only way to know for sure if you are pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. If you miss your period, call one of our offices for a pregnancy test appointment.

My girlfriend has been vomiting every morning for the past month, she’s on birth control that causes her to only have a period twice a year if I recall correctly. Could she be pregnant?

It’s possible.  Even when birth control is used correctly and consistently, it can fail.  Purchase an over-the counter pregancy test and follow the directions precisely.  Have your girlfriend use first morning urine as it is more concentrated.  However, your girlfriend should see a doctor immediately if she is vomiting that often.  The vomiting may be due to the method she is using or it may be an unrelated medical problem.  In any case, she needs to be evaluated by a medical professional right away.