AM I
PREGNANT?
WHAT CAN I DO IF I
AM PREGNANT?
WHAT ARE THE
LAWS IN MY STATE REGARDING TEENS' ACCESS
TO ABORTION SERVICES AND BIRTH CONTROL?
HAVE I GOT A
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION?
WHAT DO
I DO ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL?
WHERE CAN I
FIND MORE STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON
ABORTION, BIRTH CONTROL, INTERNATIONAL
FAMILY PLANNING, AND TEEN PREGNANCY?
WHERE CAN I
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD,
INCLUDING ITS MISSION, GOALS, BELIEFS,
VISION, HISTORY, PRESIDENT, GLORIA FELDT,
AND FOUNDER, MARGARET SANGER?
AM I
PREGNANT?
Although
this is the most common question we
receive, it is one that we cannot
answer. The only way to be sure of
pregnancy is to have a pregnancy test.
Pregnancy tests are accurate early in
pregnancy as soon as a few days after
a missed period, or from nine to fifteen
days after the vaginal intercourse that
caused the pregnancy.
To be
absolutely sure, it's best to have the
test done by a medical professional.
Medical professionals use urine tests to
detect pregnancy. Home tests can also
detect pregnancy from a urine sample,
but make sure to follow directions
carefully and correctly. To make an
appointment for a confidential pregnancy
test with your nearest Planned
Parenthood, call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN. In the meantime, here is
some general information about the
following frequently asked questions:
Could I have
gotten pregnant from...?
Pregnancy can happen any time that
ejaculate or pre-ejaculate is spilled on
the vulva or inside the vagina. There is
no way to know the percentage of risk of
pregnancy each time semen comes in
contact with the vulva or vagina no
matter how that happens.
Is
there anything I can do after
unprotected sex to avoid pregnancy?
If you had unprotected sex in the last
few days, you may want to think about
emergency contraception. It is available
in two ways:
-
Emergency Contraception pills can
reduce the risk of pregnancy up to
120 hours (five days) after
unprotected vaginal intercourse. The
sooner they're taken, the better.
They work best when taken within 72
hours during this time they can
reduce the risk of pregnancy by 75
to 89 percent.
-
Emergency IUD insertion must be
done by a clinician, and can be
effective within five days of
unprotected intercourse.
For more
info:
Emergency Contraception
Emergency
contraception is only available by
prescription in most states. For a
confidential appointment to arrange for
emergency contraception at the nearest
Planned Parenthood, call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN. It can sometimes be
obtained online with a valid credit
card. You need to be 1840 years old.
There is typically a nominal fee for
this service plus the cost of the
emergency contraceptive pills that will
be ordered through your local pharmacy.
One online service is
www.getthepill.com.
For a
list of five emergency contraception
providers nearest you, call toll-free
1-888-NOT-2-LATE, the Emergency
Contraception Hotline. This service will
give you names, addresses, and phone
numbers.
You may
also want to visit not-2-late.com, the
Web site operated by the Office of
Population Research at Princeton
University, also available at:
http://ec.princeton.edu. This site
includes information about emergency
contraception and a directory of health
centers that offer this service.
What are
the symptoms of pregnancy?
The most obvious symptom of pregnancy is
a missed period. Other possible symptoms
include
-
nausea
-
inexplicable fatigue
-
sore or enlarged breasts
-
headaches
-
frequent urination
However, it is possible that any
combination of these symptoms could also
indicate that a woman is premenstrual,
or that she has the flu or some other
illness. Again, the only way to be sure
of pregnancy is to have a pregnancy
test.
(Many
women, especially young women, have
normally irregular periods. These
irregularities may include missed
periods and other changes in the
menstrual cycle. These irregularities
can happen from month to month. Although
pregnancy is the most common reason for
missing a period, irregularity is also
caused by illness, travel, worry, or
stress.)
When will I
notice the symptoms of pregnancy?
Some women may experience obvious
symptoms of pregnancy a week or two
after it begins at implantation, while
others may not experience noticeable
symptoms for several more weeks or even
months. (Implantation occurs nine days
after fertilization, which usually
occurs from vaginal intercourse during
the six days ending in ovulation.)
How do I find
out if I am pregnant?
You need to take a pregnancy test to
tell if you're pregnant. Most home
pregnancy tests detect pregnancy by
identifying the presence of human
chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which
begins to be released when the
fertilized egg attaches to the lining of
the uterus (implantation), nine days
after fertilization. Many can detect
pregnancy from a urine sample as early
as a few days after a missed period.
Medical professionals also use similar
urine tests to detect pregnancy.
If you
use a home pregnancy test you must
follow directions carefully and
correctly. To be sure about the presence
or absence of a pregnancy, it is best to
visit a healthcare professional for a
pregnancy test and pelvic exam.
If you
are pregnant whether or not you want
to continue the pregnancy you need to
have medical care and counseling as soon
as possible. To schedule a confidential
appointment with the nearest Planned
Parenthood health center, call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN.
Can I get
pregnant if I have unprotected sex
during my period?
Yes, it is possible to become pregnant
from vaginal intercourse during
menstruation. This is especially likely
when the menstrual cycle is brief, e.g.
2122 days. Because sperm can live up to
six days possibly seven in the
cervical mucus of a woman's vagina and,
in a short cycle, ovulation can occur
within a few days of the last day of a
woman's period, it is very possible for
fertilization to take place.
Can I
have my period and still be pregnant?
No, it is not possible to have a period
and be pregnant. Every month during a
woman's menstrual cycle, the uterus
begins building up a lining made of
tissue and blood. If a pregnancy begins,
the fertilized egg implants in that
lining. If pregnancy does not occur, the
uterine lining of tissue and blood isn't
needed, so it flows out of the uterus
and vagina, and out of the body. This is
the menstrual flow.
Very
rarely, pregnant women may experience
some spotting that may seem like a
period. Again, the only way to tell for
sure is to take a pregnancy test.
How long can
sperm survive outside of the human body?
Sperm in the cervical mucus of a woman's
vagina can survive for up to six days
possibly seven. Without the cervical
mucus to both nourish and protect the
sperm, the sperm will die within
one-half to four hours. Anyone who has
touched semen should wash and dry or
at least wipe off before touching the
vulva or vagina.
WHAT
CAN I DO IF I AM PREGNANT?
Deciding what to do about an unintended
pregnancy can be very difficult. It is
best to make your decision as soon as
you can. There is no right or wrong
choice for everyone. Only you can decide
which choice is right for you. You have
three choices:
-
You can choose to have a baby and
raise the child.
-
You can choose to have a baby and
place your child for adoption.
-
You can choose to end the pregnancy.
How can I
decide which choice is best for me?
Consider each of your choices carefully.
Ask yourself:
-
Which choice(s) could I live with?
-
Which choice(s) would be impossible
for me?
-
How would each choice affect my
everyday life?
-
What would each choice mean to the
people closest to me?
It may
help to take time and ask yourself:
-
What is going on in my life?
-
What are my plans for the future?
-
What are my spiritual and moral
beliefs?
-
What do I believe is best for me in
the long run?
-
What can I afford?
Talk about
your feelings with your partner, someone
in your family, a clergyperson, or a
trusted friend. All family planning
clinics have specially trained
counselors. These counselors can talk
with you about your options. Your
counselor will try to make sure that you
are not being pressured into any
decision against your will. You may
bring your partner, your parents, or
someone else, if you wish.
Look
for a health center that will give you
complete information about your options.
If you need help, call your local
Planned Parenthood. If you would like to
have confidential pregnancy options
counseling at the nearest Planned
Parenthood health center, call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN. Beware of so-called
"crisis pregnancy centers" that are
anti-abortion. Some of them advertise
free pregnancy testing, but
-
They may perform your pregnancy
tests without medical supervision.
-
They won't give you complete and
correct information about all your
options.
-
They will try to frighten you with
films that are designed to keep you
from choosing abortion.
-
They will lie to you about the
medical and emotional effects of
abortion.
-
They may tell you that you are not
pregnant even if you are, to fool
you into continuing your pregnancy.
The delay would make abortion more
risky and keep you from getting
prenatal care.
-
They will discourage you from using
the most reliable methods of birth
control.
In the
meantime, take a look at
What If I'm Pregnant? for
information about your pregnancy
options.
Can my local
Planned Parenthood help me with prenatal
care and parenting?
Many Planned Parenthood health centers
provide prenatal care as well as
parenting classes and workshops. Any
Planned Parenthood can refer you to
other professionals you can also trust.
To make an appointment with the nearest
Planned Parenthood health center, call
toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN. In the
meantime, you may want to read
Having a Healthy Baby Prenatal Care.
You may
also want to contact the following
organizations for more information:
American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists
409 12th Street, S.W. PO Box 96920
Washington, DC 20090-6920
202-638-5577
http://www.acog.com
National Perinatal Association
3500 E. Fletcher Avenue, Suite 205
Tampa, FL 33613-4712
813-971-1008
npaonline@aol.com
www.nationalperinatal.com
Can my
local Planned Parenthood help me arrange
an adoption?
Planned Parenthood health centers can
refer you to local adoption agencies or
put you in touch with people interested
in independent adoption. To make an
appointment for getting a referral from
your nearest Planned Parenthood center,
call toll-free, 1-800-230-PLAN. In the
meantime, you may want to read,
What about Adoption? for more
detailed information.
For
information and referrals about
independent, non-agency adoption, you
can also call
The Independent Adoption Center
319 Taylor Boulevard, Ste. 100
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Hotline at 1-800-877-OPEN
www.adoptionhelp.org
Where
can I get an abortion?
Your local Planned Parenthood health
centers can either provide abortion or
refer you to other trustworthy health
care professionals. To make an
appointment with your nearest Planned
Parenthood for pregnancy options
counseling, call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN. In the meantime, you may
want to read
What About Abortion? for more
detailed information.
For a
listing of reputable abortion providers
in your area, you can also contact:
The National Abortion Federation
1755 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Ste. 600
Washington, DC 20036
1-800-772-9100
1-202-667-5881
http://www.prochoice.org
How
is abortion done?
For information about the different ways
that abortion is provided, read
Your Abortion Options in the First
Trimester Questions and Answers,
Medication Abortion Questions and
Answers,
Vacuum Aspiration and D&E Abortion
Questions and Answers and the fact
sheet:
How Abortion is Provided
Does
my local Planned Parenthood offer the
"abortion pill" for an early abortion?
Many Planned Parenthood health centers
are now offering medication abortion as
an alternative to vacuum aspiration
abortion. During the first 63 days of
pregnancy, medication abortion can be
used to end a pregnancy with medicine
and without dilation or curettage. To
find out if the Planned Parenthood
nearest you offers the option of
medication abortion, call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN or visit our Web page
about
Abortion in the First Trimester,
click on the image, then once it is
launched in a new window, select "Where
Can I Get it?"
WHAT
ARE THE LAWS IN MY STATE REGARDING
TEENS' ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES AND
BIRTH CONTROL?
We at Planned Parenthood encourage
family communication about sex and
sexuality and believe that parents
should talk openly, honestly, and often
with their children about sensitive
issues, including sex and birth control.
We recognize, however, that this isn't
always possible. That's why Planned
Parenthood is committed to providing
services that are confidential and
affordable, especially for teens, who
may face special family and financial
circumstances.
Currently a minor can receive
contraceptive information and services
without parental permission. However,
laws in many states require her to
inform a parent, or to receive parental
consent, prior to an abortion. The laws
vary from state to state. Sometimes
another adult is allowed to give the
necessary consent. The Supreme Court has
ruled, however, that there must be
another option to parental notification
or consent for a minor. It is called
"judicial bypass." In judicial bypass, a
judge can either rule that the young
woman is mature enough to make this
decision without her parents or that she
is not mature enough to make this
decision without informing them.
Click
on
Laws Requiring Parental Consent or
Notification for Minors' Abortion
for a list of parental consent and
notification laws for abortion currently
on the books.
If you
have more specific questions about
parental notification in your state,
call your nearest Planned Parenthood at
1-800-230-PLAN. Our staff will be able
to provide you with further information
and answer any questions you may have.
The
National Abortion and Reproductive
Rights Action League (NARAL Pro-Choice
America) has a Web version of its
document titled, Who Decides: A
Reproductive Rights Issues Manual.
The
National Abortion Federation (NAF)
operates a toll-free referral line for
abortion access information. Hotline
operators have information about state
laws governing abortion. You can call
1-800-772-9100 from 9:30 am-5:30 pm,
Eastern Standard Time. Here's further
contact information:
National Abortion Federation (NAF)
1755 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Ste. 600
Washington, DC 20036
202-667-5881
http://www.prochoice.org
HAVE I GOT A
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION?
We receive many questions from concerned
women and men who would like us to tell
them whether or not they have a sexually
transmitted infection (STI).
Unfortunately, this is not something we
can do by having a conversation through
e-mail no matter how carefully Web
site visitors may describe their
symptoms. Diagnosis of sexually
transmitted infections requires
laboratory tests and/or physical
examination. For confidential testing
you can call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN to
reach your nearest Planned Parenthood
health center. Your local Planned
Parenthood can also refer you to other
qualified health care providers for
screening and treatment of sexually
transmitted infections. In the meantime,
here is some general information about
the following frequently asked
questions.
Could I
have gotten something by ... ?
There are more than 30 kinds of sexually
transmitted infections. They are
transmitted in different ways. Sexual
intercourse is the highest risk activity
for all types of sexually transmitted
infections. But some infections, such as
herpes and hepatitis for example, can be
passed through kissing. That is why no
form of intimate contact is entirely
risk-free from kissing and petting to
oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Although we
cannot tell you the exact percentage of
risk for any form of sex play, we do
know that most serious infections, such
as HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and
syphilis, are usually transmitted during
unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse.
There
is no way for us to tell by an e-mail
query if you have become infected during
sexual contact with someone. To find out
whether or not you are infected, you
must be examined and tested by a
clinician. It is recommended that all
sexually active women and men should be
tested for sexually transmitted
infections at least once a year, or more
often.
If you
or someone you know is sexually active
and hasn't been recently tested for
infection, we urge you to make an
appointment with your local Planned
Parenthood for confidential testing.
Call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN to reach
your nearest Planned Parenthood. In the
meantime, you may want to read
Sexually Transmitted Infections The
Facts.
I have a ...
[sore, bump, rash, discharge, etc] on/in
my... [vulva, vagina, penis, anus, etc].
Did I get it from having some kind of
sex play?
There are many symptoms for the
different kinds of infections that can
be transmitted during sex play. Many can
be confused with the symptoms of other
sexually transmitted infections. Many
others are similar to the symptoms of
conditions that have nothing to do with
sex. That's why we cannot, by e-mail,
help you decide what is causing the
rash, growth, discharge, pain, itch,
odor, or other symptom that concerns
you.
Have your symptoms checked out as soon
as possible by a health care
professional. Most of Planned
Parenthood's 850 health centers
nationwide offer screening and treatment
for sexually transmitted infections.
Make an appointment today with your
local Planned Parenthood for
confidential testing. Call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN to reach your nearest
Planned Parenthood. If the health care
professionals at local Planned
Parenthood can't help you, they can
refer you to someone who can. In the
meantime, you may want to read about the
symptoms of sexually transmitted
infections in
Sexually Transmitted Infections The
Facts.
WHAT
DO I DO ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL?
We are commonly asked to help decide
what method might be best for a Web site
visitor, and almost as commonly, we are
asked to give advice about a woman's
experience with her method of birth
control. We cannot, of course, give
personal medical advice through e-mail.
But here is some general information
about the following frequently asked
questions:
What is
the best birth control method for me?
Your contraceptive needs will change
throughout your life. We're unable, by
e-mail, to provide you with personal
guidance about which contraceptive
option may suit you best at this time of
your life. The best way to choose the
method that is best suited for you is
for you to contact a qualified family
planning professional. Effective birth
control counseling will take into
account your health and medical history,
your lifestyle, your sex life, and your
method preferences. For some methods,
the diaphragm and IUD for example, you
may also need to have a physical exam.
To make
an appointment for confidential birth
control counseling at the nearest
Planned Parenthood center, call
toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN. In the
meantime, you may want to read
Your Contraceptive Choices.
How can I
get on the Pill, the Shot, the Patch, or
the Ring?
Visit a family planning clinic, your
HMO, or private doctor for a
prescription. Pills, patches or rings
may then be purchased at a clinic or
drugstore. The Shot is given by a
clinician. A shot lasts three months.
Nationwide, the cost of an examination,
if needed, which includes your medical
history, blood pressure, and other
tests, ranges from about $35 to $175.
The cost depends on your income at some
family planning clinics. A monthly
package of pills costs between $25 and
$35. The costs for patches, rings, and
shots are in similar ranges. The costs
are usually at the lower end of the
range at a clinic and are covered by
Medicaid. Costs vary from community to
community, based on regional and local
expenses. Contact your nearest Planned
Parenthood health center at
1-800-230-PLAN for information about
costs in your area. To make an
appointment for confidential birth
control counseling at the nearest
Planned Parenthood center, call
toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN.
Most
health care providers keep their
clients' information confidential. But
for one reason or another, certain
providers may not be able to guarantee
your complete confidentiality. Check
with your providers about their
confidentiality policies before making
an appointment.
For all
women, except heavy smokers over age 35,
the newer low-dose pills are much safer
than pregnancy. For more information on
the possible risks and benefits of the
Pill, read
You and the Pill.
You
should always have at least one checkup
a year. Be sure to tell any new
clinician you see that you are on the
Pill.
I'm
having problems with side effects from
taking the Pill ... what should I do?
The side effects most women experience
when they begin taking the Pill end
after the first two or three months of
use. For some women, ongoing side
effects are alleviated by changing to
another brand of Pill. A smaller number
of women, however, discontinue using the
Pill because they find that they cannot
use it without unacceptable discomfort.
We
cannot advise, through e-mail, how to
alleviate a woman's specific side
effects. The best way for you to find
out is for you to consult with the
clinician who first prescribed the Pill
for you. If you have discontinued the
Pill, it is very important that you use
a back-up method of birth control to
prevent unintended pregnancy until you
have decided on another ongoing method.
If
Planned Parenthood provided you with
your prescription, please call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN to make an appointment
for an evaluation at the Planned
Parenthood health center nearest you.
In the
meantime, you may want to read
You and the Pill,
Smoking or the Pill, the
Patch, the
Ring, and
7 Myths about the Pill.
The
condom broke ... . He didn't pull out in
time ... . I said 'no' but he wouldn't
stop ... . I forgot my Pill ... . What
should I do, now?
If you had unprotected sex or
experienced a sexual assault in the past
few days, you may want to think about
emergency contraception. See
EC information
above. If you have experienced sexual
assault, you can call the Rape, Abuse &
Incest National Network (RAINN) hotline
for free, confidential, counseling 24
hours a day at 1-800-656-HOPE or log on
at http://www.rainn.org.
Is there
a birth control pill for men?
There is no birth control pill for men
available at this time. Although it may
be at least 10 years before a male
contraceptive hormone is available,
researchers are testing several
promising types and continue to work on
developing more options.
The
contraceptive options currently
available to men are condoms and
vasectomy. For more information about
birth control pills for men and other
contraceptive methods currently under
development, you may want to contact:
The
Population Council
One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
New York, NY 10017
212-339-0500
212-755-6052 (fax)
e-mail:
pubinfo@popcouncil.org
www.popcouncil.org
EngenderHealth
440 Ninth Ave.
New York , NY 10001
212-561-8000
e-mail:
info@engenderhealth.org
www.engenderhealth.org
WHERE CAN I
FIND MORE STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON
ABORTION, BIRTH CONTROL, INTERNATIONAL
FAMILY PLANNING, AND TEEN PREGNANCY?
Please view our list of
fact sheets.
Up-to-date information on these subjects
is also available from The Alan
Guttmacher Institute,
http://www.guttmacher.org, a
not-for-profit organization that engages
in reproductive health research, policy,
analysis, and public education.
For
current stories in the news about these
and other reproductive health issues,
you may also want to check out the Daily
Reproductive Health Report published by
the Kaiser Family Foundation.
WHERE CAN
I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PLANNED
PARENTHOOD, INCLUDING ITS MISSION,
GOALS, BELIEFS, VISION, HISTORY,
PRESIDENT, GLORIA FELDT, AND FOUNDER,
MARGARET SANGER?
For information about the mission,
history, and founder of Planned
Parenthood, as well as current
information about the organization,
visit the
About Us section of the Web site.
How do I
contact the national office of Planned
Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA)?
Please visit the
Contact Us page for
addresses, phone numbers and e-mail
addresses for the national offices of
PPFA in New York, Washington, Chicago,
San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
How do I
contact the nearest Planned Parenthood
health center?
The fastest way to reach the nearest
Planned Parenthood health center to make
an appointment is to call toll-free,
1-800-230-PLAN, which automatically
connects callers to the nearest Planned
Parenthood center. Alternatively,
provide a zip code and the
clinic finder
on this Web site will provide info on
your closest Planned Parenthood.
How much
will services cost at my local Planned
Parenthood?
We are unable to answer that question
because each Planned Parenthood health
center establishes its own fee
structure, which is based on the many
different factors that affect costs in
different communities. All of our
centers, however, are committed to
providing services at the lowest
possible cost and to ensuring that
financial concerns are not a barrier to
necessary health care. Many of our
centers offer services on a sliding
scale.
To make
an appointment, you can use our zip-code
clinic locator (at the top of this page)
or call toll-free, 1-800-230-PLAN. Your
call will automatically be connected to
the Planned Parenthood health center
nearest you. When you call for an
appointment, be frank with the staff
about your financial situation and find
out about available payment options.
How do I
find out information about employment or
volunteer opportunities with Planned
Parenthood?
Each of the 121 Planned Parenthood
affiliates recruits for its own
vacancies and the national office of
Planned Parenthood doesn't maintain a
central human resources department for
the entire federation. However
plannedparenthood.org does have some
affiliate job listings, as well as
positions available at the national
offices: Employment
Opportunities
Because
our listings may not always reflect the
affiliates' most current openings, we
suggest that you contact affiliates
directly in the areas of the country
where you are interested.
Affiliate contact information is
available on our site.
Planned
Parenthood has always been a
volunteer-driven organization, and we
certainly hope that we can make use of
your talents, skills, and energy, should
you choose to volunteer. Our volunteer
needs vary according to the communities
in which our affiliates are based, the
types of medical and educational
services they provide, and any special
groups for whom the affiliate conducts
outreach efforts. More
info on volunteering is available on
our site.
How do I
make a donation to Planned Parenthood?
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
relies on the generosity of individuals,
foundations, and corporations to support
our domestic and international programs.
To find
out the many different ways donors can
support the important work of Planned
Parenthood and help us pursue our
mission on behalf of women and families
around the corner and around the world,
visit our
Donation Section.
Planned
Parenthoodฎ Federation of
America, Inc. is a tax-exempt
corporation under Internal Revenue
Service code section 501(c)(3) and is
not a private foundation. (Tax ID
#13-1644147) Contributions are tax
deductible.
