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Question:
My girlfriend ended her period a couple of days ago. We had sex first with a condom, but she was uncomfortable. We began to get dressed but then got back into it and had unprotected sex. I withdrew before ejaculation. She uses birth control pills. What are the chances of her getting pregnant? What exactly do birth control pills do?

Answer:
by Konstance McCaffree: ()
Good question and I'm glad you asked. The chances of her getting pregnant are pretty slim, and for several reasons. First, it was very close to her period ending. Though an egg might be present to be fertilized at any time, it is really less likely during her period and a day or so after. In addition, there won't be any egg present as long as she has been taking her birth control pills regularly. The Pills work to suppress the ovulation of the egg, so that it does not get produced each month. If the egg isn't produced it can't be fertilized = no pregnancy. There are are things the Pills do as well. Depending on which ones she is taking (and there are at least 40 or more different combinations)they might also be altering the lining of the uterus to keep blood from building up so that if a fertilization did occur, the fertilized egg couldn't find a suitable spot to begin developing. The Pills also alter the mucous produced in the cervix (bottom of uterus) to make it more hostile to sperm. Sperm are actually fragile and can be destroyed somewhat if there is a high Ph (acid content) in the vagina. So, with good protection from pregnancy the only thing you would need to worry about is disease transmission. That is why I would not eliminate the use of the condom because she is using the Pill. Diseases are epidemic these days and the signs and symptoms not always noticeable. Herpes, HPV (warts) are rarely seen or felt. Females don't usually know they have gonorrhea and chlamydia, and neither gender notices any symptoms of HIV/AIDS. I really urge you to not let her talk you out of using a condom from now on.

Reviewed by: Patricia Fawver Ph.D. in Sexology

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