By Leslie
It’s after school and you and your partner decide to watch a movie at your house. You’re sitting next to each other, sharing popcorn. You begin to cuddle, and then you start making out. One thing leads to another, and you both let yourselves get taken away by the heat of the moment and forget to wear a condom or use some other form of contraception. You both hadn’t planned on having sex, but you did and now…what do you do?
Accidents happen. If you and your partner ever find yourselves in this situation, don’t panic. I know it’s easier said than done, but freaking out about what happened won’t help. Rather, you want to focus on your health and your partner’s health, and what next steps you need to take to be healthy. If you had unprotected sex, immediately consider the possibility of these two outcomes: 1) pregnancy and 2) STDs.
Pregnancy
Plan B, or the “morning after” pill, is an emergency contraceptive that reduces the chance of pregnancy following unprotected sex or contraceptive failure (i.e. condom breaks). It should be taken as soon as possible, ideally within five days of having unprotected sex, but the sooner the better. In April 2013, Plan B was approved for non-prescription use for women 15 years of age and older. Visit your local pharmacy for more info. Another form of emergency contraception is the copper IUD (Paraguard). Paragard is a great option for emergency contraception because, unlike the morning-after pill, Paragard is still 99.9% effective at preventing pregnancy even on the fifth day after unprotected sex and it can be left in as long-acting, reversible birth control for up to 12 years.
Abortion is legal in the state of California, and you do not need anyone’s permission – parent’s, guardian's, or partner’s – to get one. Getting an abortion is completely confidential – your privacy is protected by the law. If you decide to get an abortion, remember it’s best to act as early as possible to avoid any pregnancy or life-threatening complications. Also, remember, no one can force you to have an abortion. Ultimately, the decision is yours – own it.
STDs
The most common symptom of having an STD is no symptom at all. Having unprotected sex puts you at greater risk of contracting an STD. STDs can have long-term consequences, such as infertility or cancer. If you and your partner had unprotected sex, it’s important that both of you get tested as soon as possible, so that you can find out if you did contract an STD and if so, start treatment. You can find a clinic here to get tested.
Don’t be too hard on yourself; accidents do happen. Instead, inform yourself of all your available options in the event of an accident so that you know what’s right for you, and what’s right for your health.