Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting me to talk about what is going on for you at the moment. I can hear that having sex has left you with lots of questions but you have done the right thing contacting me for some answers.

Talking about contraception before you have sex with your partner is always a good idea because it is important that you both feel comfortable. I can see that you decided to use a condom which was a very sensible thing to do as it can help to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Although it might seem like it would be extra safe, wearing two condoms at once is actually not a good idea. Condoms are designed to work on their own, so using two condoms on top of each other can make them more likely to split.

If you’ve recently had sex and the condom has broken, emergency contraception (the morning after pill) can give you some extra protection as long as you get it quickly enough. Brook is a confidential advisory service supporting young people with sexual health and relationship and they have more information about emergency contraception at their website. You can even talk online to one of Brook’s specialist advisors.

It sounds like you are unsure whether you are pregnant or not and the first step would be to take a test to find out. You could see your GP, visit a sexual health clinic in your area or you could buy a test from the chemist. If the result is positive, Brook would also be able to advise you on your options, including what would be involved in getting an abortion and who could support you through that.

I know that you can feel alone in these situations but I want you to know that if you don’t feel able to confide in a trusted adult about your worries then you can always speak to a ChildLine counsellor for free on 0800 1111 or by logging on for a 1-2-1 chat.

Take care,

Sam