Birth Control Bingo

Click through a series of detailed questions to narrow down your own best methods, become a pro on what method your partner is using, or windowshop in-depth info pages on each contraceptive option. With 25 integrated pages of teen and twentysomething-specific information, plenty of links, questions and answers, we've done our very best to help you protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy.

Condom Basics: A User's Manual

Using a condom is generally easier than it looks (especially if you can relax about it), but the first few times, it can be tricky, especially if you're nervous about knowing how to use one.

What's the Risk? Easy Pregnancy Risk Assessments

Worried that you or your partner may have had a pregnancy risk? Walk through our series of questions and answers for different sexual activities to find out.

Peeing on a Stick: All About Pregnancy Tests

Choosing a pregnancy test can be pretty overwhelming. This article is designed to give you a general overview of pregnancy tests. It will discuss what a pregnancy test does, the difference between a urine test and a blood test, how to choose a pregnancy test, when and how to use pregnancy tests, and finally what to do after a pregnancy test.

All About Abortion

If you're considering or planning an abortion, you need to know what your options are, what's involved before, during and afterwards, and how to consider or make this reproductive choice as best you can. We unload abortion for you so that you can inform yourself to be sure it's the right choice for you, and if you choose it, find out what you need to know to best take care of yourself throughout.

Hey, Boyfriend! Male Reproductive Choices

If you’re a guy with a female partner, even though you're not the one who can become pregnant, you still get choices, and you still should participate in birth control use and responsibility just as much as your female partner. Have a look at what you can do to manage your half of the burden. (Excerpted and adapted from S.E.X., the Scarleteen Book)

10 common Myths, Misunderstandings and Big Ol' Lies About Emergency Contraception

It's amazing that with something as safe, simple, affordable and revolutionary as emergency contraception that it STILL isn't being used by millions of women who could use it, and who would prefer to avoid an abortion or an unwanted pregnancy. In part, that's because so many doctors and clinics still do not inform and educate women about EC. Here's some EC clarity, on the house. Pass it on!

Crisis Pregnancy Centers: Harm, Not Help

Jessica asks:

I heard about a really good organization that helps girls who are pregnant and don't want an abortion. It's called Birthright. I have seen one in my town, but I can't find it on your site. Do you have any information about Birthright or stuff about the way the baby is developing so that we can find out more about our options?

How do birth control pills really work, even during the placebo period?

curiousgirl asks:

I have been on the pill for over 2 years, and have never missed a pill. I just started my inactive pills on Sunday of this week, and had sex with my boyfriend on Monday. He wore a condom but I am still concerned there is a chance I might still get pregnant. Is it possible for this to happen or am I safe?

Misconception Mayhem: Separating Pregnancy and Pregnancy Risk Myths from Facts

What types of sex present a pregnancy risk? Is there a way to kill sperm after sex to prevent pregnancy? Do the symptoms of pregnancy show up right away? Scarleteen’s taking the time to debunk some of the most common misconceptions surrounding pregnancy and pregnancy risks in one handy place.

I Want It NOW!

The majority of pregnancies that occur for adolescent women are unplanned. But some pregnancies in the teen years -- a general estimate is usually about one in five -- are intended or planned. One reason that sex education likely hasn't reduced those pregnancy rates as much as it might is that some teens know full well what birth control is and how and when to use it, but choose not to, sometimes because they -- maybe you -- want to become pregnant.

The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method

You already know that no method of contraception is 100% effective to prevent pregnancy. You probably also know, however, that there are reliable methods which are very effective when used properly, and that if you use contraception correctly and consistently, pregnancy becomes a whole lot less likely. But did you know that by doubling up and using two methods, with almost any combination you use, you can get mighty close to that 100% with most combos?

Where DID I Come From? A Refresher Course in Human Reproduction

It may seem silly to address a topic that many of us had explained when we were very young. Unfortunately, very few of us have had it explained well, leaving a good many with no idea what the birds and the bees really mean to our everyday sexual lives. Every day someone at Scarleteen asks if this, that or the other thing is a pregnancy risk, or how they can tell if they are pregnant, or how they can even get pregnant in the first place. It isn't stupid or immature not to know the answers to these questions. It is only foolish not to ask them when we don't know the answers, or to assume we'll just be "lucky," and so never try to learn.

When can you get pregnant?

Homer asks:

If you had sex a week or days after your period can you get pregnant?

Emergency Contraception

At the Scarleteen boards, we get a lot of questions from teens who are wondering if there's anything to be done to avoid pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, whether it's from a broken condom or from not using a condom in the first place. Regardless of how it happened, there is something that can reduce the risk of pregnancy greatly as long as it's done within 120 hours of your risk. That something is called Emergency Contraception.

Margaret Sanger's Disneyland: Choosing Contraceptives

Sex can be fantastic, but to be honest, it can also be a giant headache, especially when you're female and having heterosex. One has to worry about STIs, how it affects a relationship, and pregnancy. To make some of that easier, we've provided this table of birth control methods. Think of it as Margaret Sanger's version of Disneyland.

Get With the Flow: All About FAM

The Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is a means for women to observe the three primary fertility signals: cervical fluid, waking body temperature and cervix changes so that you can be as in-the-know as possible when it comes to your own fertility and menstrual cycle. Find out the basic how-to so you can make the mystery of your own fertility cycle become a lot less mysterious.

Your First Gynecologist Visit

Want to know what to expect at your first gynecologists' or reproductive health exam? We've got the lowdown for you here.

Three questions about taking the birth control pill (and plenty of answers)

Help! asks:

I had sex with no condom 3 days before I started my period, AND 1 day after I started my period. I'm on birth control BUT I was at the end of my 1st pack I have ever took (taking the non-active pills) and I don't exactly take them at the exact same time every day but pretty close. I was wondering what's the possibility of me getting pregnant considering the circumstances, birth control doesnt take effect until the first month is up, but I'm already taking my inactive pills so that technically means the month is up doesnt it? Also, I was getting ready to start/was on my period, and I have a regular cycle so I dont think theres no way I could have been ovulating but im really worried, please help!

And Gail asks...
I'm 16 years old, and I'm on the pill. I've been on it for little over a month, and recently me and my partner have been doing it without a condom (were clean) since I've been on them for a month now. Question is, I'm not a perfect user. I take my pill within a 30 min. range, never exactly right on time, whats my chance of pregnancy?

And Hockeylover asks...
I've been on the pill for about a year now and I'm sexually active with my boyfriend. This past month I had sex with my boyfriend and the condom didn't break but may have leaked or something because my boyfriend seemed to think that something minor could have been wrong. A few days after that I forgot to take a pill until about 12 hours after the fact. Now, my pill pack is finished and it is time for me to have my withdrawal bleed which has always occurred at the same time. Today, however, I have experienced nothing but minimal spotting, which is unusual.

Also - just for future reference as I was always curious - I know that it is extremely difficult to become pregnant while on the pill as long as it is taken properly. However, if pills were forgotten or whatnot I realize that it is possible to get pregnant but I was wondering whether one would still experience the withdrawal bleed or whether this would not occur (just like a period doesn't occur if someone is pregnant). Does any blood that comes during a withdrawal bleed while on the pill signify that no pregnancy has occurred? Am I at risk?

The Morning After the Morning After (or, what the FDA decision about Plan B means to you)

The morning after pill is now legal in the U.S. for over-the counter use, without a prescription, for those over 18. But what does that mean to you?