Have you ever been having sex and noticed that things were getting a bit…dry? It happens to the best of us and there’s a super easy solution. ENTER: lube. Honestly, lube does not get the love and attention it deserves. Not only can lube make sex feel more comfortable, but […]
Have you ever been having sex and noticed that things were getting a bit…dry? It happens to the best of us and there’s a super easy solution. ENTER: lube. Honestly, lube does not get the love and attention it deserves. Not only can lube make sex feel more comfortable, but […]
Does the thought of talking to your doctor about sexual health give you butterflies or send a shiver down your spine?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here’s our top tips to make chatting to your doctor about sex a whole lot easier.
We’re talking about sexual activity that involves your butt. Anal play can be enjoyed by anyone of any gender or orientation and can be: Putting fingers or a tongue (rimming) around/inside someone’s butt Putting a dildo or other sex toy inside someone’s butt Putting a penis inside someone’s butt There […]
The Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP) AKA ‘The Morning After Pill’ can be taken to reduce the risk of pregnancy after unprotected sex. That means, if you’ve had sex and the condom broke or you didn’t use a condom and aren’t using another form of reliable birth control, the ECP is your back up plan.
The ECP works by stopping or slowing down ovulation, which is when your eggs are released from your ovaries. It also stops the egg and sperm from meeting.
If you are already pregnant the ECP will not affect, interrupt or harm the pregnancy.
The Emergency Contraceptive Pill works best within 24 hours of unprotected sex
It’s best to take ECP as soon as possible, but it can still work up to 3-5 days after unprotected sex. Two types of ECP are available from a pharmacist without a prescription: Levonorgestrel can be taken up to 72 hours (3 days) and Ulipristal Acetate can be used up to 120 hours (5 days) after sex. Remember though, it’s not 100% effective so you may still need to do a pregnancy test just to make sure you’re not pregnant a few weeks later. It also doesn’t have a lasting effect: if you have sex anytime after taking the ECP, you can still become pregnant.
The ECP is very safe and it has no serious or long-lasting side effects. Some may get an irregular period, feel a little bit sick or have sore breasts after they take it. But nothing major.
After you take the Emergy Contraceptive Pill your period can come a little bit earlier or can be a little late. You may even get a little bit of bleeding a few days after taking the ECP but this is NOT a period.
It’s a good idea to see a Youth Health Nurse, GP (general practitioner) or Family Planning clinic if your next period is more than a week late, if your period isn’t normal, if you want to start ongoing contraception, if you’re worried for any reason or would like a sexual health checkup.
You can get the ECP over the counter from any pharmacy without a prescription and in some cases, free of charge through a sexual health centre or youth health service.
Though the ECP is great for preventing accidental pregnancy, it does not offer protection against STIs – only condoms can do that. If you had unprotected sex you should also go and get an STI test.
If you want to know more call 1800 451 624 between 9:00am and 5:30pm Monday to Friday to talk with a sexual health nurse. It’s confidential and free if you call from a landline.
Long-acting reversible contraception or LARC, are contraceptive methods that last a long time, but aren’t permanent. This means you can stop the contraceptive method and plan for a baby if and when you’re ready to fall pregnant. LARC are “set and forget” methods that don’t depend on you remembering to […]
Talking with your friends and supportive adults, and visiting websites such as Play Safe can help you make healthy choices about how to protect yourself if you’re sexually active. It’s super important to protect yourself from STIs. And, if you have unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancy is another thing to think […]
