http://kinseyconfidential.org Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 2006-2007 aschweig@indiana.edu (Kinsey Confidential) aschweig@indiana.edu (Kinsey Confidential) posts 1440 Just another WordPress weblog Kinsey Confidential Kinsey Confidential aschweig@indiana.edu No no http://kinseyconfidential.org/wp-content/themes/kinsey/images/kinsey-podcast-300.jpg http://kinseyconfidential.org 144 144 http://kinseyconfidential.org/withdrawal-contraception/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/withdrawal-contraception/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:31:09 +0000 Jennifer Bass (M.P.H.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=1088 http://kinseyconfidential.org/withdrawal-contraception/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/gender-role-reversal-contraception/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/gender-role-reversal-contraception/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:56:42 +0000 Natalie Ingraham (M.P.H.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=928 http://kinseyconfidential.org/gender-role-reversal-contraception/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/cases-criminal-hiv-infection/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/cases-criminal-hiv-infection/#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2009 02:17:35 +0000 Natalie Ingraham (M.P.H.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=965 http://kinseyconfidential.org/cases-criminal-hiv-infection/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pope-africa-condoms/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pope-africa-condoms/#comments Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:37:30 +0000 Natalie Ingraham (M.P.H.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=950 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pope-africa-condoms/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/fda-approves-female-condoms/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/fda-approves-female-condoms/#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:10:39 +0000 Natalie Ingraham (M.P.H.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=949 http://kinseyconfidential.org/fda-approves-female-condoms/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/morning-after-pill-emergency-contraception/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/morning-after-pill-emergency-contraception/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:00:06 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=554 http://kinseyconfidential.org/morning-after-pill-emergency-contraception/feed/ 0 3:04 The fact that you have been having sex for about a month and have already taken emergency contraception, also known as the morning after pill, ... The fact that you have been having sex for about a month and have already taken emergency contraception, also known as the morning after pill, two times - and almost a third time now - is something that I would strongly suggest you speak with your healthcare provider, or a trusted parent or adult, about. Emergency Contraception: Not For Frequent Use Emergency contraception pills are not recommended for frequent use. If you and your boyfriend have decided to have sex with each other, then I would strongly suggest exploring other options for preventing pregnancy. For example, have you considered using condoms? Not only would condoms greatly reduce your risk of pregnancy if you use them consistently and correctly, but they can also greatly reduce your risk of getting or giving one another several sexually transmissible infections, or STIs. Since you seem comfortable with hormonal contraception, which is what emergency contraception is a form of, you might also ask your healthcare provider about birth control options such as the birth control pill, patch, shot or ring. Although they are all highly effective, some are easier to use than others and may be better choices for you. No "Safe" Days As you mentioned, some women do experience spotting or bleeding after they take the emergency contraception but it is not necessarily the same as a period and you can absolutely get pregnant during this time period. There are no absolute "safe" days during which a woman cannot get pregnant, especially if she is relatively young and has irregular cycles. Please take the time to talk to your boyfriend about your choice to be sexual with each other and ways that you can reduce your risk of pregnancy. Try to identify at least one adult or healthcare provider that you can feel comfortable talking to about your choices regarding sex so that you can take care of your sexual health and reduce your risk of pregnancy. Recommended Reading You might find it helpful to read S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-To-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You Through High School and College by Heather Corinna or to visit the web site of Planned Parenthood for detailed information about birth control methods and healthcare services. Birth,Control,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/brain-sexual-organ/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/brain-sexual-organ/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:12:04 +0000 Jennifer Bass (M.P.H.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=751 http://kinseyconfidential.org/brain-sexual-organ/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-effectiveness-unprotected-se/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-effectiveness-unprotected-se/#comments Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:00:55 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=432 http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-effectiveness-unprotected-se/feed/ 0 2:58 At some point in their lives, many women and men become interested in having sex without a condom either so that they can become pregnant ... At some point in their lives, many women and men become interested in having sex without a condom either so that they can become pregnant or so that they can experience sex in a way that may feel closer, more natural or more sensitive than sex with a condom. However, having sex without a condom opens a couple to greater risks, and you are wise to consider these. Birth Control Effectiveness If you have been taking your birth control pills consistently and correctly (as prescribed), then there is little chance of becoming pregnant if you have sex without a condom. Birth control pills are about 99% effective at preventing pregnancy with perfect use, and about 92% effective with typical use. You and your boyfriend are wise to consider pregnancy risk issues and to pay attention to your risk of sexually transmissible infections (STI), particularly since birth control pills don't protect against STI. Depending on when each of you was last tested for STIs, you may want to get tested again if needed. For example, HIV tests are often only considered absolutely accurate if a person gets tested 3-6 months after their last possible exposure. Issues To Consider Finally, before having sex without a condom, it may be worth thinking through a few other things in regard to your relationship. For example, if you were to unintentionally become pregnant, how would each of you feel about raising a child, adoption, or abortion? What are your expectations about exclusivity or monogamy? In what way might having sex without a condom affect your feelings for each other, your sense of closeness, or your anxiety about becoming pregnant? If you stop using condoms, how will you feel about assuming primary responsibility for reducing pregnancy risk? And how will you two share the cost of contraception? There are, of course, no "right" answers to these questions. Thinking about these issues, however, and talking to each other about these or other aspects of your relationship and sexual life together may help you to make decisions that you both feel comfortable with. And when couples feel comfortable with their sexual decisions, they also expand the possibilities for sexual pleasure and enjoyment. Birth,Control,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-after-sex-rpregnancy-risk/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-after-sex-rpregnancy-risk/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:00:40 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=424 http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-after-sex-rpregnancy-risk/feed/ 0 3:37 Many women experience vaginal bleeding during the first few times that they had sex. When the hymen tears, it does not necessarily tear all at ... Many women experience vaginal bleeding during the first few times that they had sex. When the hymen tears, it does not necessarily tear all at once. It may continue to tear gradually over time, and sexual experience, so it is indeed common to experience slight bleeding on the second or even third occurrence of sex. That said, if you continue to noticed bleeding or if you have any other vaginal symptoms such as irritation, itching, or burning, you should check in with a healthcare provider to rule out other health issues, including sexually transmissible infections, or STIs. All women who are sexually active, even if just once or twice, should have a gynecological exam anyway as a means of caring for their reproductive health. So if you haven't already done so, now may be a good time to make an appointment for a gynecological exam. This is particularly true now that you had unprotected sex with a partner. It is not true that you cannot get pregnant from sex if you bleed. In fact, a woman can absolutely become pregnant from unprotected sex, even if it is her first or second time having sex, and even if she bleeds. The blood, for example, does not "wash out" the semen. If this just recently happened, you might contact your healthcare provider immediately for information about emergency contraception (also called the "morning after pill") which can help to reduce the risk of pregnancy if taken within 5 days of unprotected sex. It is most effective when taken very soon, such as within 3 days, of unprotected intercourse. As you know, many women and men find that alcohol can lower a person's inhibitions and affect their judgment, which can contribute to them doing things that they might not normally do. If you did not want to have sex with this person, or if you did not want to have unprotected sex, but did so because you were drunk, then perhaps this is an opportunity to re-evaluate your choices regarding drinking and sexuality. Some women and men make pacts with their close friends that at least one of them will remain completely sober and will not let the others do things that they say they don't want to do. In the future, perhaps you and your friends can discuss ways of keeping each other safe if you plan to drink. To learn more about women's sexual health, including issues related to safer sex, pregnancy risk and the relationship between alcohol and sex, you might read Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women's Health Book Collective. Bodies,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-from-dry-semen/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-from-dry-semen/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:00:38 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=421 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-from-dry-semen/feed/ 2 2:59 Any time that a man's sperm get inside of a woman's vagina, and she is not using any effective methods of birth control, there is ... Any time that a man's sperm get inside of a woman's vagina, and she is not using any effective methods of birth control, there is a risk of pregnancy. I am not sure how adequately your boyfriend wiped the head of his penis after he ejaculated, so it is unclear whether he removed all of the semen. Plus, if there were any sperm still inside his urethra (the tube that carries urine and ejaculate out of a man's body), then the sperm could potentially have been picked up by pre-ejaculatory fluids moments later, and then gotten into your vagina when he inserted his penis. If there was any ejaculate on his penis, or about to come out of his penis, when he inserted it into you, then there is a risk of pregnancy if you were not using other methods of birth control at the time, such as the birth control pill, patch or ring. Home Pregnancy Test If you have concerns about being pregnant, you might take a home pregnancy test after enough time has passed, or you might check in with a healthcare provider for a pregnancy test and to learn more about safe and effective methods of birth control. I would also encourage you and your boyfriend to learn more about sexuality and pregnancy if you plan on being sexual together, and to learn about ways to prevent pregnancy. You can find information about contraception and sexual health on our contraception resource pages or on Planned Parenthood's web site. You can also learn more about sexuality through the book The Guide to Getting It On. Not Recommended In short, however, I would not recommend this practice for the future. If you do not want to get pregnant, then you and your boyfriend might consider using condoms for penetrative sex play like you recently engaged in. If you are not comfortable with any degree of pregnancy risk, then perhaps you two just re-evaluate your decision to have penetrative sex, or any type of sexual contact that might put you at risk for pregnancy or infection. Given that you both have now been in contact with each other's sexual fluids now, too, you should both consider getting tested for sexually transmissible infections, or STIs, which can be passed between two people even with just brief contact, as you two had. Content,Type,,Podcast,,Pregnancy aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/dry-sex-pregnancy-risk/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/dry-sex-pregnancy-risk/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:00:37 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=393 http://kinseyconfidential.org/dry-sex-pregnancy-risk/feed/ 0 3:09 Although sperm are very good swimmers, they're not supernaturally good - I have yet to hear of a case where sperm have swam through both ... Although sperm are very good swimmers, they're not supernaturally good - I have yet to hear of a case where sperm have swam through both boxers and underwear and resulted in a pregnancy. Defining "Dry Sex" I imagine one reason why you might be reading conflicting information on the internet is because it's impossible to know what exactly people are doing when they say that they are having dry sex, or any other type of sex for that matter. And what people do can change from time to time - even with you and your girlfriend, sometimes your dry sex has meant that you both have clothes on and other times it has meant that she has underwear on but you are completely naked. The more clothes that come off, the more the potential for pregnancy exists if men's and women's genitals come together, and the guy ejaculates. So in the absence of knowing what exactly people are doing, you can imagine why sex educators, nurses and doctors are a little cautious about describing pregnancy or infection risks for dry sex. Consider Birth Control That said, I think you are very wise to consider more reliable methods of birth control, particularly since it sounds like you two sometimes take things a little further than planned, like when you've wound up naked. And you're absolutely correct that if your semen were to get near her vaginal entrance, then there could be a risk for pregnancy, even if you didn't have vaginal intercourse. Using a condom is certainly one strategy - it would provide a barrier between your semen and her vagina. It is possible that a condom might tear, particularly since dry sex involves more friction than intercourse, and you should check the condom here and there to make sure that it is still intact. Applying a bit of water-based lubricant on the condom, once it is already on your penis, can reduce the risk of the condom breaking or tearing. There are also a range of hormonal contraceptives that your girlfriend might consider such as the birth control pill, patch, ring or shot. The best form of contraception is one that you two can use consistently and correctly, so issues about convenience, access, ease of use and cost are important to consider. Content,Type,,Podcast,,Pregnancy aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-risk-using-condoms-not-ejaculating/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-risk-using-condoms-not-ejaculating/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:00:52 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/2008/09/22/qa-is-it-possible-to-get-pregnant-even-when-using-contraception-and-if-my-partner-doesnt-ejaculate/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-risk-using-condoms-not-ejaculating/feed/ 0 3:09 If you didn't get any sperm inside your girlfriendrsquo;s vagina, or any pre-ejaculate (also called "pre-cum" - the thin liquid that comes out of some ... If you didn't get any sperm inside your girlfriendrsquo;s vagina, or any pre-ejaculate (also called "pre-cum" - the thin liquid that comes out of some men's penises while they are feeling aroused), then she could not become pregnant from you. Take A Pregnancy Test It is more likely that your girlfriend is still just feeling anxious or worried about becoming pregnant when she is not ready to become pregnant. If she is concerned that she might be pregnant, she should get an at-home pregnancy test when an adequate amount of time has passed (check each box to see how soon a particular test can be used) or check in with her healthcare provider for a pregnancy test. Talk To Your Partner If you or your girlfriend are anxious about sex for these or other reasons, it may be that you are not ready to be having sex right now, as the anxiety may make sex feel more stressful than pleasurable. Perhaps this is a good time to talk more with each other about your decision to be sexual together and how yoursquo;re feeling about it, as well as how you would feel is you became pregnant together, or what steps you could take to feel more comfortable about your romantic and sexual relationship. Or it may be an indication that you need to do other things - like talk more about how you plan to prevent pregnancy - such as correct and consistent condom use and maybe hormonal contraception, such as the birth control pill, patch, shot or ring - so that you can both feel more at ease. In that case, talking with a healthcare provider and learning more about your options for birth control will likely be very helpful - you can learn more at Planned Parenthood's Website as they have a comprehensive birth control section. Experience Takes Time If your girlfriend has not yet had a gynecological exam, she should do so, as this is important for all women who are sexually active. If you feel comfortable talking to your parents or other older family members such as aunts or uncles, they might also serve as good resources for information and to talk about any feelings you might be having about these changes to your relationship. Becoming sexually experienced is something that doesnrsquo;t happen over night, and certainly doesnrsquo;t happen the very first time that you have sex. It takes time and it can be helpful to have trusted people to talk to, not only for information but also for support. Content,Type,,Podcast,,Pregnancy aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-sexual-health-resources/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-sexual-health-resources/#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:16:19 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/2008/09/18/qa-new-to-sex-where-can-i-learn-about-birth-control-and-sexuality/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-sexual-health-resources/feed/ 0 2:47 Great question! I think it is really wise that you two are communicating so carefully about sex before having it, and that you are both ... Great question! I think it is really wise that you two are communicating so carefully about sex before having it, and that you are both focused on feeling comfortable so that you can enjoy your experience together. Your Healthcare Provider The best place to go for information related to birth control options is your healthcare provider as he or she make recommendations based not only on your preferences for birth control but also on any personal health issues. If you are a college student, your campus health clinic will likely have a womenrsquo;s health or gynecology clinic and you may be able to start there, if you donrsquo;t already have a healthcare provider. Planned Parenthoodrsquo;s web site can also be used to find a healthcare provider in your area. Planned Parenthood Ahead of time, you can learn basic information about contraceptive options on the Planned Parenthood web site. They have comprehensive information available related to various types of birth control such as the male condom, female condom, natural family planning, birth control pills, the birth control ring, the shot, and more. You can also learn some of this information elsewhere on our web site (especially in our sexual health resource pages), as well as detailed information about many sexuality issues relating to communication, making sex comfortable, negotiating condom use, dealing with differences in desire and more. Recommended Reading In addition, the book Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Womenrsquo;s Health Book Collection provides a comprehensive overview of sexual health issues and is worth reading for both women and men. The Guide to Getting It On also provides some information on a range of sexuality topics for both sexes, and regardless of experience level. Contact Us If you have further or more specific questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. Birth,Control,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/signs-of-a-healthy-relationship/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/signs-of-a-healthy-relationship/#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:15:11 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/2008/08/09/in-a-healthy-relationship/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/signs-of-a-healthy-relationship/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/best-condoms-safest-condom/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/best-condoms-safest-condom/#comments Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:45:29 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/2008/08/07/ever-wondered-what-type-of-condom-is-the-best-or-most-safest-to-use/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/best-condoms-safest-condom/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/correct-condom-usage/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/correct-condom-usage/#comments Sat, 24 May 2008 21:53:25 +0000 Samantha Seeger http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/2008/05/20/correct-condom-usage/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/correct-condom-usage/feed/ 0