Are there any sexual positions that minimize the chance of pregnancy? What are they?

Great question! You have probably heard of certain sexual positions that increase the chance for pregnancy, but if you were hoping for a magical sexual position that you could use to decrease the chances of a sperm meeting an egg, you are going to be disappointed. Any time you have sex where an excited, erect penis is inside, or even just brushing up against the opening of a vagina, there is a chance of pregnancy. The best way to minimize the chance of pregnancy is to consistently use some form of contraception. Condoms are an easy and inexpensive option (free in my office and at Student Health and Counseling), and they will protect you from HIV and most STDs as well. Many women like using condoms in combination with a birth control pill. Using them together further reduces the chance of pregnancy. You can get more info about birth control pills and other contraceptive options at Student Health and Counseling or you can stop by my office in the Women’s Building.

After you have sex with someone, should you stay the night? Can you just leave?

I’m kind of wondering why you want to leave . . . Do you have an early practice or class in the morning and you don’t want to wake up your partner? Is that extra-long twin bed just too small for both of you? Is the “walk of shame” in full daylight just too much to bear? Or are you not really sure why you slept with this person in the first place and now you feel uncomfortable seeing him/her, much less sharing a bed? Sex can be fun and fulfilling if you are in a relationship with someone, but with a random hook-up, it can just leave you feeling empty and confused. If you find yourself wanting to run out the door, try to think about why you feel that way. Is it because you don’t know this person well enough? Maybe you weren’t ready to get into a sexual relationship and now you don’t know what to say. Did you drink too much and make a questionable decision? On top of all that, how well do you know your partner and their sexual history? If you are having sex with someone that you don’t talk openly with, you could be risking a lot more than just looking like a jerk by leaving. You could be risking unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Really get to know your partner-it will make sex much more satisfying. You do have choices: before having sex with someone, try just sleeping (literally!) together. At least then you’ll know that you want to be there.

Questions?

How many times have you had a question about your body or your health that you felt weird asking a friend or someone older, especially when it’s about sex? Jill Ringold, who has her master’s degree in Public Health and is a certified health education specialist, is the health educator in the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness. She’s here to help answer those questions that you really want to ask. If you want to submit a question, please send it to health@studlife.com.

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 12th, 2003 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Cadenza. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.