WHAT IF WE HAD UNPROTECTED SEX?
come to the right place, read on.
DON’T PANIC!
Having unprotected sex isn’t the smartest move a person can make, but it isn’t necessarily the end of the world, so follow the advice below and you should be fine. This is definitely not something to make a habit of though, one day the consequences might be a little more than you bargained for.
WE HAD UNPROTECTED SEX AND… I THINK I’M PREGNANT
ATTENTION! Act fast. Emergency contraception can be used up to 72 hours after unprotected sex but it is proven to be most effective within the first 12 hours. Speak to your healthcare provider, they are there to help. You should not see emergency contraception as a regular contraceptive or use it like one. Protect yourself from accidental pregnancy by informing yourself of the contraceptive methods and speaking to your healthcare provider. Learn more about pregnancy tests.
DO'S AND DON'TS
- Speak to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
- If the intercourse happened less than 72 hours ago, emergency contraception, the morning after pill, can be taken as a precaution against you becoming pregnant. However, note that the sooner you take the emergency contraceptive pill, the more effective it is.
- You can also buy a home pregnancy test but you should always speak to your healthcare provider as well.
- Don’t wait around and bury your head in the sand saying “it won’t happen to me” and “I’ll be fine” you might not be, and then you’ll find yourself in a much more difficult situation than if you’d faced the situation head on and quickly.
WE HAD UNPROTECTED SEX AND… I THINK I HAVE AN STI
So you’ve had unprotected sex and you’re worried you might be infected. Not all STIs have visible symptoms so even if you think you’re fine, after having unprotected sex, get tested! Learn more about sexual transmitted infections (STIs).
SUPPORTED BY
A coalition of international partners with an interest in sexual and reproductive health
