My doctor put me on a new pill, and she said that it was likely that it would stop me bleeding during my period all together. But because I'm sexually active, I'm terrified that I'm going to get pregnant and not know. Its not as if I'm not safe during sex, I always use a condom and , obviously, I'm on the pill. But if I don't bleed during my period, how will I know if I've actually had it? I don't know what to do!
Sam
Hi there,
Using condoms and the pill makes it much less likely that youll get pregnant and will stop you from getting sexually transmitted infections. It sounds like you know yourself that no contraception is ever 100% effective, and its good to always keep in mind that there are risks. Part of any young person being ready for sex is making sure that theyve thought about these risks and how best to protect themselves.
I got the sense that even before you went on the pill you had this fear of getting pregnant. Its important to keep in mind that your period isnt the only indication of pregnancy it is possible to have what looks like a period when youre pregnant, as well as missing a period when youre not.
When youre worried about being pregnant, the quickest and easiest way to find out for sure is taking a pregnancy test. A pregnancy test is a quick way that you can find out at home if you are pregnant. Theyre available for free from your GP, special sexual health clinics (some of which are just for young people) or from NHS walk-in centres. You can also buy them from pharmacies, shops and supermarkets. Theres no age limit for buying them and they usually cost between £5 and £12.
There are lots of different types of pill that you can go on, and your doctor will often advise you on which would be best for you. There are loads of different reasons that a pill might or might not be suitable. Youre never doing anything wrong by wanting to talk that through.
Your doctor is there to support you no matter whats happening. Remember that when youre over the age of 13 you can speak to a doctor in confidence about anything to do with your sexual health, which means that you can also talk openly about being sexually active. You can read more about visiting your doctor from Dr Ranj.
You might find it helpful to talk through how youve been feeling with a Childline counsellor. You can call for free on 0800 1111, send an email or log on for a 1-2-1 chat.
Take care, Sam
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