Q: Can you get pregnant if you have sex when you have your period?
A: You can only get pregnant if you have sex during the time you are ovulating (the time when your body realizes an egg). Ovulation generally takes place 14 days prior to your periods. If your cycle is 28 days, ovulation would occur exactly in the middle of the cycle (a cycle begins on the first day of your menstruation to the first day of your next menstruation). Since ovulation and menstruation do not take place at the same time, it is very unlikely that you can get pregnant if you have sex during your period.
Q: What?s the procedure for a pregnancy test? If it is affirmative, what is the abortion procedure? We are not sure if we want a child now.
A: You can confirm the pregnancy by a blood test called beta hcg or with a Sonography. If the pregnancy is less than 49 days, it can be terminated by tablets and if it is more than 49 days but less than 70 days, it will have to be terminated by surgical methods.
Q: My girlfriend and I had unprotected intercourse. I would like you to prescribe some contraceptive measures to avoid pregnancy. Please give names of oral pills which would be applicable in the situation.
A: Was this unprotected intercourse during the unsafe period (fertile period in a woman) of the cycle? If not, there should be little cause for concern. If it was during the fertile period, then there are forms of emergency contraception available. There is a pill commonly referred to as the ?Morning After? pill, that helps handle such situations, but it has be taken in the first 48 hours of unprotected intercourse. It contains high doses of estrogen that prevent the implantation of the embryo. Intrauterine contraceptive devises can be inserted up to 5 days of intercourse, which will also prevent implantation. There is some trial on the use of a pill called RU486, which can be taken up to 12 days after unprotected intercourse, but this is not yet available freely in India (but is widely being used in Europe). Please note that you and your girlfriend should consult a gynaecologist before she considers taking any of these pills.
Q: If the condom ruptures during intercourse, how can I prevent a pregnancy?
A: Since getting pregnant is very likely you should consult your gynecologist immediately for emergency contraception.
Q: I am engaged and will be getting married soon. I have heard that there is a safe period for having sex, when the couple can enjoy sex without bothering about contraception. When is this time? My fiancé¥ has a 28 day cycle.
A: Many couples do practice this ?natural? method of family planning, but it does have a high failure rate. If your fiancé¥ has a 28 day cycle, she would ovulate on the 14th day, so she should avoid having sex on day 9 to day 21. The rest of the cycle should be relatively safe.
