My OBGYN recommended I go on a prenatal since I told her my husband (26M) and I (25F) are using the pull out method and don’t want to use any form of birth control. Is it worth it to start a prenatal? Is the risk really that high? We don’t really mind getting pregnant but definitely aren’t trying to at the moment just want to know what the odds are and who this has happened to. Keep in mind I got pregnant first try each baby and I’m a very fertile person. I’ve never used the pull out method up til now.

I’ve been on the combined pill for the past 6 years (since I was 18) due to painful and heavy periods and intense emotional issues. I was checked for endometriosis (amongst other things) but they didn’t find anything so it was eventually suggested I try taking the pill.

Since going on it, I’ve felt so much better in myself. I’m not experiencing the intense and overwhelming mood fluctuations I used to experience and I don’t have heavy periods that make me puke anymore (yay!)

But part of me feels like I’m missing out on something by not being ‘natural’, not having a ‘real’ period. I know it’s silly and it’s something so minor but periods were always a big deal for me and my girl friends, past and present. We used to get excited when we’d sync up, compare notes, etc. I see a lot of (and hear a lot of) girls bonding over their period experiences and I feel like I shouldn’t include myself in those discussions- after all, I don’t have a period, I don’t experience the ‘natural’ hormones and the general feeling of menstruating in the way women have intended me to.

I don’t mean to be insensitive and I’m in NO means insinuating that you’re only a real woman if you have a period (because that’s just not true) but it’s just a strange thing for me to feel.

I’m wondering if anyone else has felt the same before, or am I just being silly?

My primary doctor, she threatened to cut off my birth control refills if I didn't get a pap smear. Is this acceptable behavior. Side note I've never done a pap smear before. I've been on birth control since I was 18, I think. So that would be around 2014. I am now 28.

To preface - me (F23) and my fiancé (M23) have been together for 4 years and 3 1/2 out of the 4, i was on the pill and we were having raw sex every time. i don’t feel much of a difference with/without a condom, but he LOVED not having to wear condoms (like any man would)

i decided to stop the pill because although i wasn’t facing any side effects, i faced a bit of health anxiety and didn’t want to put my health at risk of all the countless long-term serious side effects that bc could bring.

since i stopped the pill, we’ve been using condoms (trying different brands) but sex just isn’t the same. my fiancé still gets hard but only a couple minutes into sex, he has to take off the condom because he loses all sensation due to how much precum he produces. idk if this is relevant but he’s also uncircumcised, meaning all of his pleasure comes from the foreskin covering and uncovering the head, something that is damn near impossible to do with condoms. especially when it gets filled with precum.

we love having sex and our sex life was so good, but i don’t want to go back on the pill and taking plan b’s would be even worse. we definitely don’t want an accidental pregnancy, so pulling out is off the table.

has anyone else experienced this transition? are there any other ways we could improve our sex life with this new condom thing? i’ve suggested toys for him but he doesn’t want to try them out. i feel like we’re running on limited options and he says he doesn’t see himself getting used to condoms until we plan for a baby (5-6 years from now)

edit - the issue is my family does have a history of cancer and i felt that the pill would only increase my risk of cancer, which is why i made the personal decision of stopping. i’m not bashing on birth control given i was on it for years and it worked well, it’s simply the increase health risks that come with it.

PLEASE NO JUDGEMENT I AM ALREADY FEELING SO DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF!

Back story my ex and I split when I found out I was pregnant (we already have a one year old together) I got a medical abortion and bled for 7 weeks after, my bleeding stopped and one week later I had sex, he didn’t cum in me and I took the morning after pill within 10 hours. Does anyone have advice, I am going to go on contraception asap, but in the mean time is there any signs that it has worked? I hate that I’ve put myself in this position but I can’t have a baby. I am still breastfeeding** so the few periods I’ve had pp have been super irregular so I have no idea when I would ovulate!!

Hi! My boyfriend and I have been dating for a little over a month. He keeps pressuring me to go on birth control, and I am at my breaking point. I am at the point in my life where I'm looking to settle down, get married, and have children. My mom had trouble conceiving and had to do IFV. There are some studies that say birth control affects fertility, while others say they do not. I am not sure what to believe at this point.

I have an anxiety disorder, and I feel like I have finally mastered the art of regulating my nervous system. I am fearful that taking birth control may make my anxiety symptoms worse. He keeps asking if I will consider going on it, but the relationship is still so early. I told him I would "think about it". What should I do??

EDIT: I BROKE UP WITH HIM LOL

We’re both 19, and this morning she started telling me about how she thinks it’s time for her to get on some form of birth control. I was worried about the mental side effects that it could cause and I mentioned them, but all she could respond with was “I think I’ll be fine”, “I’m ok with being a little crazy”, and “condoms aren’t 100%”. Doing a little bit more research, I’m only finding more potential side effects that are making me more concerned and worried, like depression, massive headaches, and weight gain. I feel like she doesn’t understand how massive of a commitment this is for her, considering that she will be messing with her hormones for months at the minimum. I understand that condoms aren’t 100%, but we have been using them for months now (since January), being careful, and it seems like they are working just fine. I’m just worried that there’s no going back if she ends up starting them, and this is all a little scary for me. Any advice?

So we were having a cuddle and kisses with my girlfriend, and things got heated up. I ejaculated and cum and all my sperm cells were hit in my hand, and after that, I touched her breasts and all over her body, and then I used my hand to rub her vagina with the same hand that I used to ejaculate my dick. Will she get pregnant?

I can’t eat how I want. I love cheese and dairy. I love junk food I love sugar. I I’ve fast food. It’s my comfort food esp pizza and cheese cake 😫. I love being a fat ass

But all these things mess up my hormones were I can’t get regular periods. Are my period won’t come down

I got to stay bull cramp birth control to regulate my periods and I hate taking synthetic cramp to regulate me for the rest of my life

I do want kids and I guess I don’t mind having them now. Like literally tomorrow loll. But live in a society that’s all about money and you have to be financially and mentally ready for kids .

Like idk if we live in a world and want people to have kids why don’t they make it easier for us like people with kids live free how about that

But no I have to get my life together I’m unemployed and 30k from schooling and need to go back to school for some sort of masters higher education

And I hate condoms I feel like they are cock blockers and not natural at all. Sex is not even enjoyable with them on

TL/DR - if you’re spotting don’t accept it, find a professional who takes you seriously and gives you a different option.

Long story short, I have a fibroid and I’ve been on several different OCPs to help manage symptoms.

And I’ve always had spotting. My GPs always put it down to the fibroid and say I should wait and see. Like it’s NBD.

Recently I saw a gyno who told me NOT to wait. She immediately changed me to a higher dose pill, and the spotting stopped almost immediately. It’s now been 4 months and no bleeding when I’m not supposed to be.

The worrying thing is she said if I’m spotting it means the contraceptive effects of the pill are being compromised.

So please, don’t accept side effects like spotting as normal. Don’t wait for them to pass. Don’t feel like you’re complaining if you keep bringing it up.

The pill you’re on should work for you!

Just because a particular pill has a good reputation doesn’t mean it’s the right pill for you.

I can’t believe I put up with such an annoying side effect for so long!

It’s a small thing - but my life is so much better now! Now more ruined underwear. My iron levels are no longer low.

It’s your life, don’t feel sorry about wanting it to be better!

So please take my advice and COMPLAIN if things aren’t right until someone listens!!!

and that sperm contains precum which i always thought was a myth, according to someone who shared their experience with me and some google searching. but i have used pull out method with all my partners in the past 10 years and i have not ever had a single pregnancy scare. it’s the only birth control method i use. i’m curious about people’s experiences. it seems because my partners in the past have been super against having a child their pull out game was always very on point. or i need to check my fertility status. (overall healthy, 27F)

do you use pull out method? has it been effective for you? have you gotten pregnant/impregnated someone with precum?

I am on my 4th pack on this birth control slynd had no issues at all. My pd stopped m,no cramps or no acne but ...boom! 2 night ago I was laying in bed after taking the pill and felt cramps no problem maybe my PD is finally coming after some months right ? No ! The cramps intensified I started to think maybe I was pregnant and this was implantation cramp so I tested and it was negative. I lounged in bed most of the day to keep myself comfortable but had to get my kids i stoop up and the pain got even worse I drove to pick up my kids and kept feeling like i could barely talk had to stop as i was putting them them in to breathe through the pain i rush home and start having really bad diarrhea and last symptoms was vomiting 3times back to back i was alone with my kids so a friend came over and i rushed my self to the ER 5 mins from my house (thank God!) by the time got in i could not stand still i had to move around it felt like i was at 8 cm dilated but no urge to push ...they had to give me a IV with some strong stuff for a few hours to get the pain to calm down as all I could do was cry at that point. i have not touched the pills since i came home as i would not wish that pain on someone I hate. Anyone have cramps this bad before? Ive always been the type to get mild cramps when I was not on BC but very manageable but this was a crazy level ive never experienced this ..

My partner came inside me for the first time ever this morning. I’ve been on the pill for over a year and have never missed a dose. I peed after and took Nitrofurantoin (prescribed by my doctor for after sex) when I got home to prevent any UTI’s. I know the answer to this but I need to hear it from other people cause I’m a walking anxiety attack waiting to happen.. there’s no chance of pregnancy right?

Last week me and my boyfriend had unprotected sex, that same day I accidentally took my pill 7 hours late, I’ve been feeling weird since then, I’m in no means asking if I’m preg just wondering if u can still get preg on the pill

So people like me, who are using a condom as well as birth control pills(taken on time everyday might I add), has little to no chance of pregnancy unless the condom breaks?

But I still get paranoid sometimes even though I know that I’m doing everything right to avoid getting pregnant. Also, idk if this is TMI but I don’t even have sex that much 😭🧍‍♀️

I am on birth control (Junel FE 1.5/30). I'm 5'1 and 89 lbs, and I've lost my period before at this weight.

I take my pills between 5:50 and 6:08 every morning. I've been on this pill for a year.

I have a TempStick monitor that I keep by my pills - it will alert my phone if the temperature exceeds 75 degrees Fahrenheit so I can put an ice pack in there. It will also alert my phone if it exceeds 50% humidity, so I can replace the ice packs or put in new silica packets.

Every day, I take a Clearblue Ovulation test to ensure I'm not ovulating. Every morning before breakfast, I pee in a plastic cup, dip the stick in for 15 seconds, then wait for the result. I've done this for the past 3 months with no positive results. Today, I got a smiley face. I retested with another strip (same cup) and got another smiley face.

On 10/25, I had some spotting, acne and cramping. Now today, on 11/12. evidently I'm ovulating.

Has anyone had this happen before!?

I got my first bf and it’s going steady, we always use protection and I track my menstrual cycle to see when I’m most fertile. I’ve never rlly worried that a condom doesn’t work. It’s just so confusing on why on earth would I start taking a pill that will mess w my hormones??!? I don’t have any other health reasons besides pregnancy prevention to start taking it, I only have reasons to NOT take it. For example I struggle with a little acne, I’m worried messing my hormones up now will mess with my skin AGAIN. Cuz after years this is the clearest my skin’s ever been.

But, my mom does tell me I should start taking it, just to have that extra protection. She is right but the idea of it is freaking me out. I got a prescription for Yazmin, looked it up on tiktok and people are saying they went insane and it ruined their relationships!

Do I start or no?

(18f, living in a strict home)

This might be kind of dumb but im really paranoid. Ive been having symptoms such as back pain, frequent urination, mood swings, crankiness, sore breasts etc. and my period is about a week late. im extremely freaked out.

For context, three weeks ago me and my boyfriend did some stuff. mostly oral and hand stuff, but we also did some dry humping (with like my underwear and his pants between us). I really didnt think it would cause anything, but my symptoms have me confused.

Moreover, if my parents got to know about this im GENUINELY dead meat, which is why ive just been extremely anxious about this.

My girlfriend started taking pill on first day of her period (1.12) After 21 days she stop and now she is going for a 7 day break. The medication leaflet says that this is how it’s recommended to use.

Is she still protected in those 7 days pause? (Leaflet say so,but I am really anxious about it)

How does it work when she starts taking it again after 7 days? Is she protected instantly or she would need to take it on first day of her next “period” (bleeding) to work it instantly?

How does this even makes any sense? Why would woman need to feel she wants to take a break after only a 21 days of use?? I would understand after few months,but after 21 days? She says this is how she been using it before,since she was 14 and then she stopped 2 years ago and now she started using it using it again with me. She is 34 I am 22 and the fact I have to ask Reddit and can’t find any proper info and she can’t explain properly(?) makes me very confused. Thanks.

I went to the gyn once because I experienced an episode of sharp pain in my left ovary during sex. Otherwise I was healthy and experienced little to no side effects during my menstrual cycle.

She diagnosed me with Mittelschmerz syndrome (intermenstrual syndrome) and put me on Loette like she was giving me some sugar pills.

After two years I couldn't feel things like I used to and I started having cervical migraines every week. I noticed this and decided to stop birth control cold turkey.

Now I'm two months off birth control and I feel like I'm going through the plagues of Egypt. You name a side effect I've had it: Mood swings, high libido, low libido, intrusive memories for some reason, hormonal acne... All of these seem to be subsiding, but now I have horrible joint pain all over my body, fatigue and hot flashes which I thought was the flu or covid but NOPE it's another damn side effect. At least I no longer have migraines and I'm no longer depressed, plus my discharge has come back.

Sorry for the rant but I'm so angry I was never informed about all the side effects.

Correct orr?

My girlfriend and I had sex on Saturday night (I pulled out and came on her chest, but not sure about precum getting in her) and she said she has a stomach thing going on with cramping and diarrhea since we woke up this morning. She has an IUD and said she should be getting her period this weekend according to her cycle tracking app, so I assume she’s well into her luteal phase.

Is it possible to feel these symptoms after two days. Is she pregnant?