100 ways not to get pregnant

Well OK, maybe 100 was a bit of an exaggeration but follow these suggestions and you will stand a good chance of not getting pregnant...

Don't have sex without a condom - If you do you will not only stand a good chance of getting pregnant you will also be at risk of catching a nasty sexually transmitted infection!

Don't miss a daily contraceptive pill - It is advisable to use condoms and the pill together. However, if you do just use the pill you will risk pregnancy if you forget to take one or more. If this happens, you must use condoms and the pill for the rest of the pill cycle.

Don't take your daily contraceptive pill at irregular times - This lowers the effectiveness of the pill so you should always take it at the same time each day.

Don't have unprotected sex during your period - A lot of people think that whilst you are on your period you can't get pregnant... that is totally wrong! So work on the assumption that there is never a "safe time" to have unprotected sex.

Don't think pulling out before ejaculation can prevent pregnancy - Treat a penis like a loaded gun... it's always dangerous, so protect it with a condom at all times!

Don't think that it's OK to rub an unprotected penis around the outside of a vagina - It's still possible for some sperm to get inside.

Don't allow either partner's fingers to touch his penis then enter her vagina - even before ejaculation some sperm can be present.

Don't let fingers that have touched a penis touch the outside of a condom - sperm could be transferred to the condom and then get inside the vagina.

Don't leave a penis inside a vagina too long after ejaculation - It is always best to withdraw straight after ejaculation as a common cause for condoms coming off inside is when the penis has gone down and the condom is no longer a tight fit.

Don't have sex if you think all this is too much to remember! - It's easy to make a mistake in the heat of the moment so make sure this knowledge is second nature so you don't have to think about it!

And finally...
Never underestimate the power of sperm... a small drop of semen on the end of a man's penis carries enough sperm to fertilise all the women in Colombia! In case your geography is not that hot, we are talking around 18 million babies!

Thinking about having sex?

Ready?

Deciding whether you're ready for sex is a tough decision. Having sex isn't just about what you do with your body; it's about your feelings, your thoughts, your values, beliefs and self-esteem. If you are thinking about having sex, you need to ask yourself if your heart and mind are ready for it.   

You aren't ready if:

• You're having sex because you want your partner to like you more or you think it will save your relationship
• You're too afraid or shy to get birth control
• You or your partner are too embarrassed or uncomfortable to use a condom
• You think everyone else is doing it and that you should too

Having sex when you're not ready can really complicate your life - it could mean an unplanned pregnancy, getting HIV/Aids or another sexually transmitted infection, or it could leave you feeling really bad about yourself and your relationships.

Still think you're ready?

If you are still planning to have sex, then you need to make sure that you are both willing to be responsible for your sexual behaviour. That means talking openly about all of the consequences, and planning ahead to avoid problems. 

• You should be prepared to have safe sex  (using condoms)
• Even if you and your partner have been together for a long time and even if one of you is taking the pill, it is really important to use a condom 
• Several serious infections, including HIV and chlamydia, can exist in your body without any noticeable symptoms but they can make you very ill later on. More and more young people are infected every day in the UK, but a lot of them are still not using condoms.
  
  If you are in a serious relationship and think you are ready for for sex without a condom you should both get tested for sexually transmitted infections.  
• You can't make others responsible but you can take care of yourself.

If you have a question you want to ask in confidence, why not try our Ask Ali section (see link on the menu above).