A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control
In the years since SmartSexResource launched, we have developed a library of questions asked by you, and answered by our expert sexual health nurses.
Our answered questions library cover a broad range of sexual health topics and common questions we hear at our clinics.
Hi there,
Thanks for your question. Taking one birth control pill after sex will not prevent a pregnancy because it is not the right dose of medication. In this situation, I would advise taking Plan B to prevent pregnancy within 5 days of the sex (Plan B is more effective the sooner you take it after sex). You can get it over the counter at the pharmacy, or many youth clinics or STI clinics give out Plan B for a reduced price (or free). You can use our clinic finder to find the nearest clinic to get Plan B – search using your location and select “emergency contraception” under “offering this service”.
Let us know if this helps or if you need more information,
Health Nurse
Hi
If by ‘birth control’, you mean the pill, then there are different ways you can get them and the cost depends on a few factors.
If you get a prescription from a doctor and go to a pharmacy to get it filled, the pill will cost about 15 – 20$ a month. Depending on your age, you may be able to go to a youth clinic and get free pills. Also, Options for Sexual Health has clinics throughout BC and you can usually buy pills from them at a reduced cost.
How many packages you can get depends on who you see and how long you have been on the pill. For example, if you go to a youth clinic and are starting the pill, you may get free pills for 3 months. If you are seeing a doctor and have been on the pill for a while, you may be given a prescription for 12 months.
There are many types of birth control. Check out Options for Sexual Health to learn more about the different birth control methods.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi there,
Yes, you can get birth control without your parents knowing. Health care professionals have to respect your right to confidentiality, and cannot contact your parents without your permission. (The only exception is if your healthcare provider thinks you are at risk of harm or abuse, they need to report it to the proper authorities.)
Many youth clinics will do walk-in visits and start you on birth control at that time. You can use our clinic finder to see what is offered at the clinics near you – click on “clinic details” to see if they offer birth control and if you need an appointment.
Please leave a comment below to let us know if that answers your questions or if you need more information,
Health Nurse
For other readers, leave a comment below to let us know if this is helpful.
Hi there,
Thanks for your questions.
If you’ve had unprotected sex, it’s a good idea to get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Because these tests have a “window period”, the best time to get tested is about 3 weeks to 3 months after a possible exposure. If you’re not sure where to get a test, look on the clinic finder on the site.
You mentioned you were bleeding after being fingered. I can’t diagnose this over the internet, but there are a few possibilities. Sometimes, having an infection like Gonorrhea or Chlamydia can cause a bit of bleeding like this. Or, the bleeding could just have been from a small tear in your skin from friction. Again, getting tested will help you figure this out, and if you have Gonorrhea or Chlaymdia, they are easily cured with antibiotics.
You also said you were not on birth control. Have you had a menstrual period since you had sex with your friend? If your period does not come when expected, it might be good to get a pregnancy test, just to make sure you didn’t get pregnant. In any case, birth control would not prevent you from getting STI’s, just from getting pregnant.
Let me know if this answers your questions,
Health Nurse
Hi
That is a bit hard to answer because it depends on when you started taking the pill and if you are taking it correctly. If you started the pill on the first day of your period and continued to take it correctly, then the chances of getting pregnant are low. Some people do a ‘quick start’, which means they don’t wait for a period but start taking the pill right away. Depending on the time of the menstrual cycle when you started taking the pill, the chances might be higher if you had unprotected sex.
Generally, we recommend that you use condoms for at least 7 days after starting the pill. If you do not get a period at the end of the pill package, it would be a good idea to have a pregnancy test. If you need a pregnancy test, in BC you can buy them in pharmacies, you can go to a doctor or use our clinic finder to locate a clinic near you.
As for your second question, I think the Options for Sexual Health fertility awareness page will give you the best information about what you need to know if you want to use this method of birth control.
Please let us know if that answers your questions or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
Hi
I can see why this is confusing to you. You did have unprotected sex with your boyfriend in a time of your cycle when you could easily get pregnant. But, usually if you have a period that lasts 4 days it is less likely that you are pregnant. At the same time, there are many stories from women who say they had a period and they were still pregnant.
You used a condom with the second partner. But, we know that condoms are not 100% reliable because they make break, leak or fall off. Also, if you have genital contact (penis to vagina) before the condom is on, there is a chance that you can become pregnant.
Unfortunately, I cannot tell you who the father is. I believe the only way to know for sure is to have a paternity test. This is not something we provide, so I am not an expert on that.
Please leave a comment to let us know if that answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi
To get pregnant you would need to get sperm in your vagina.
It is possible that a woman could get pregnant without having sex (penis in the vagina) if the man ejaculated (cum) on the entrance to her vagina.
Options for sexual health is a local organization that has some good information on birth control options. They also have several sexual health clinics in BC.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi
It is possible that you could become pregnant when you have unprotected sex. However, if you did get pregnant, you would not start to feel symptoms the same day you had sex. Usually it takes 2 or more weeks after you become pregnant to feel symptoms.
Do you know about Emergency Contraception?
Emergency Contraception, sometimes called the ‘morning after pill’, is best taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, but it can be taken up to five days later.
In BC, you can get this from your doctor, a walk-in clinic, youth clinics and Options for Sexual Health clinics. ECP is usually free in youth clinics if you are under age 24. You can also get emergency contraception without a prescription in many pharmacies in BC.
Also, most youth clinics have free condoms and testing for sexually transmitted infections. Check out our clinic finder if you need help finding a clinic.
Please leave a comment to let us know if that answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi.
We have spent some time trying to find studies that actually compare polyisoprene condoms with other condoms. So far we haven’t found any scientific studies. We are going to continue looking into this and hope to add some information to our site.
In Canada, condoms are considered medical devices and therefore must meet standards set by Health Canada. Because polyisoprene condoms are sold in pharmacies here, it means they have been evaluated and approved for sale by Health Canda. This suggests there is enough evidence showing that they are an effective barrier for contraception and STI prevention.
We found some comments saying they are more stretchy then polyurethane condoms, but also that they are thicker. If you have a latex allergy they are definitely an option.
As with all condoms, personal preference factors into which condom works best for you.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more info.
Health Nurse