Birth Control
My boyfriend
and I are thinking about having sex. I've never done it before. I want it to
be romantic, but I am also worried about getting pregnant. My girlfriend told
me she and her boyfriend did it with just a condom the first time because
they didn't want to spoil the mood. Then, she was so afraid she was going to
get pregnant, she didn't sleep until she got her period. What should I do?
Once you start having sex, you
are unlikely to stop. So you need a long-term method of birth control. For
most girls having sex for the first time, I recommend using birth control
pills IN ADDITION TO A CONDOM, since no method is 100% effective, and it is usually human error that leads to unplanned pregnancy despite taking precautions. I recommend a combination approach that empowers young women to take greater control over their contraception, so they don't need to worry about a nervous young man tearing a condom before it is even on. However, preventing pregnancy is just part of the challenge. Today AIDS, herpes, and many other Sexually Transmitted Diseases are lurking in even the most charming of men. Many kids believe that having oral sex isn't really "having sex." But STDs can often be transmitted orally, and there are special types of protection that can make this type of sex safer as well. If you try to cheat, you may well end up cheating yourself. You owe it to yourself to have a future of your choosing. In an era where limits are falling for women day-by-day, it is up to you to keep your future open.
Together, we can figure out what birth control strategy offers the best protection for your needs, and the best side-effects like acne prevention.
Whatever method of birth control you choose the first time, you will need to practice safe sex if you are going to truly feel good about it.
Many doctors, including me,
will schedule couples-counseling appointments that include a regular physical
for you, then birth control information for both of you, including how to use
condoms, which I consider absolutely mandatory.