Unintended Pregnancy Myths
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The Myth
You can't get pregnant if it is your first time having sex.
The Reality
There is absolutely no truth to this statement. Most girls have started their period before their first time having sex, which means they have
ovulated. When an egg and sperm are present there will always be a chance of pregnancy, whether it's the first time or the hundredth time.
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The Myth
If a girl has sex during her period, there is no chance of pregnancy.
The Reality
Theoretically, a girl will ovulate before her period, and during her period the egg will be shed from the uterus, so no egg, no pregnancy. However,
this theory is highly unreliable, particularly during the teen years. Most teens have very irregular cycles because their bodies are still trying to
regulate themselves. Even if a girl's period shows up at the same time each month, her ovulation could still be out of whack, so there's no way to
tell when an egg will or will not be present. Not to mention, sperm can live five to seven days inside the vagina, thereby increasing the chance of
pregnancy. So menstruation is by no means a safe time to have sex. The "rhythm method," or determining approximate times of ovulation, should to be
used when TRYING to get pregnant, not when trying avoiding it.
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The Myth
I can avoid infection or pregnancy if I douche immediately following sexual intercourse.
The Reality
Some women believe that flushing the vagina with water or antiseptic is good hygiene, and prevents infection or pregnancy. However, douching does
not prevent infection and may cause problems by destroying useful bacteria in the vagina which helps keep the area healthy. It's just easier to use
a condom!
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The Myth
If a guy doesn't come, or ejaculate, during sex, there is no chance of pregnancy.
The Reality
This method, called the withdrawal method, AKA pulling out, AKA coitus interruptus, is a totally ineffective method of pregnancy prevention. After a
guy is aroused, and during sexual activity, pre-ejaculatory fluid, AKA precum, is secreted from the urethra. The purpose of this fluid is to
neutralize the urethra so the sperm can survive. This fluid contains - you guessed it - SPERM! And as we all know, sperm can very well impregnate a
woman. While the amount of sperm is considerably less than released during ejaculation, there is still a significant chance of pregnancy. Consider
this: An average of 300 million sperm are released during ejaculation. If one tenth of that amount is released in the precum, that's still 30
million sperm, and it takes only ONE to get pregnant, so wrap it up boys! Another interesting fact: A girl who doesn't use protection during sex has
a 90% chance of getting pregnant during the first year.
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The Myth
If you have sex in a pool, you won't get pregnant or infected with HIV because the chlorine kills sperm and viruses.
The Reality
You can become pregnant or contract HIV while having sex in a pool.
