***There is no way for us to know if you are pregnant or not – no matter how much information you give us. If you want to know if you are pregnant we will always recommend you see a clinician for a pregnancy test.
Q. How can I get pregnant?
A. Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by sperm and implants into the uterus lining to develop into an embryo. All of these have to occur for pregnancy to occur. Pregnancy can happen when any semen (with sperm) is in or around the vaginal area allowing the sperm to reach the egg to fertilize it.
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Q. What are the days someone is more likely to become pregnant?
A. A woman is most fertile around the time she ovulates (release of an egg from the ovaries to the fallopian tubes) therefore if someone has unprotected vaginal intercourse up to approximately 5 days (sometimes 7) before ovulation then the likelihood of pregnancy can be higher. Ovulation usually occurs the middle day of a woman’s cycle. The first day of the cycle is the first day of a woman’s period/bleeding. If a woman is on a 28-day cycle then ovulation would occur around day 14. It is difficult to pin point a woman's ovulation day unless you go through a process to determine the day therefore it is usually an estimated day.
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Q. How can I reduce my chances of an unplanned pregnancy?
A. Abstinence is the only 100% way to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. If you decide to be sexually active there are ways to help reduce the chances of becoming pregnant. Some of those choices include: barrier, non-hormonal methods such as condoms (male/female), diaphragm, spermicide, and cervical cap; prescribed hormonal methods such as birth control pills, depo provera, the patch, the ring, IUD’s, among others; non-hormonal and non-barrier methods such as continuous abstinence, outercourse, withdrawal (high failure rate), and sterilization. If you have insurance through an Illinois insurance company and they cover prescriptions and outpatient care, then, under a new Illinois Public Act, they have to cover prescribed contraceptive methods/devices/procedures (not including ECP's, abortion, or permanent sterilization). If you usually have a co-pay or deductible, it would still apply to contraceptive methods.
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Q. If I miss my period does that mean I’m pregnant?
A. Missing a period does not always mean a woman is pregnant. It is very dependent on when she ovulates (see above) as well as if she usually has a regular cycle. Missing a period could be related to stress, hormonal imbalances, excessive exercise, severe nutrition deficiencies, pregnancy, among other potential factors. If you feel you could potentially be pregnant (i.e. didn’t use a birth control method, your usual method failed, etc.) then is it recommended you contact a clinician for a pregnancy test to prove/disprove a pregnancy (see the end of the FAQ for places to go to get a pregnancy test).
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Q. If I miss my period what are my chances that I’m pregnant?
A. The only sure way of knowing if a woman is pregnant is by taking a pregnancy test. There could be other factors involved when a woman misses a period. If someone has protected/unprotected sex there is always a chance of pregnancy, but to reduce those chances it is recommended a birth control method is used consistently (each and every time) and correctly.
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Q. Where can I get a pregnancy test?
A. If you live in the Chicago area you can see your primary care physician, find the nearest Planned Parenthood location at www.plannedparenthood.org, or if you are a UIC student you can get a free pregnancy test at the UIC Family Medicine Clinic by scheduling an appointment at 996.2901.
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Q. How much does a pregnancy test cost?
A. Cost of pregnancy test depends on where you go. Some insurance’s may cover the cost, but it is recommended you contact your insurance company if you’d like to know. If you are a UIC student you can get a free pregnancy test at the UIC Family Medicine Clinic by scheduling an appointment at 996.2901. Some Planned Parenthood locations are on a sliding fee scale, which means it depends on how much a person makes as to how much they pay. It is recommended you contact the Planned Parenthood location to find out this information prior to scheduling an appointment.
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Q. If I have unprotected vaginal sex what are my options?
A. Unprotected vaginal sex can lead to pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s – if you want more info about STI’s please contact the Wellness Center). If you are worried that you/your partner could get pregnant you can see about getting emergency contraception (EC) within 72 hours of intercourse. EC only reduces the chances of pregnancy from 1 encounter. EC can be obtained through the UIC Family Medicine Clinic (by appointment), Planned Parenthood (by phone, internet, or appointment), or some primary care clinicians prescribe EC. You also have the option of waiting to see if you do become pregnant. The earliest most pregnancy tests can detect a pregnancy is the first day of a missed period.
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Q. My birth control method didn’t work, what are my options?
A. If your birth control method didn’t work (broken condom, missed pills, etc.) and are worried that you/your partner could get pregnant you can see about getting emergency contraception (EC) within 72 hours of intercourse. EC only reduces the chances of pregnancy from 1 encounter. EC can be obtained through the UIC Family Medicine Clinic (by appointment), Planned Parenthood (by phone, internet, or appointment), or some primary care clinicians prescribe EC. You also have the option of waiting to see if you do become pregnant. The earliest most pregnancy tests can detect a pregnancy is the first day of a missed period.
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Q. Can I still get pregnant if my partner didn’t ejaculate in me and we used protection?
A. The chances are very minimal, but again, there is always a chance. Using a contraceptive method like condoms or hormonal birth control methods AND withdrawal decreases the likelihood of pregnancy even more (nearly 100%), but it is still not guaranteed.
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Q. How long does sperm live in the female body?
A. Sperm can live in a woman’s body for 5 sometimes 7 days, therefore a woman can get pregnant if she has sex up to 5 sometimes 7 days before ovulation.
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Q. Is it possible to get pregnant without having sex?
A. Oral and anal sex are considered to be fairly safe in terms of getting pregnant, but if any semen gets in or around the vaginal opening then there could be a chance of pregnancy. Of course it still depends on ovulation as well.
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Q. I’m having signs/symptoms of pregnancy, could I be pregnant?
A. If you have had sexual intercourse then there could be a chance of pregnancy, but the only way to find out is to take a pregnancy test (see the resource list at the end of the FAQ).
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Q. I’m on a 28-day cycle, when do I ovulate?
A. There is no way for us to know when you ovulate or if someone is pregnant. You can use the fertility awareness method (FAM) to chart your ovulation, but it is recommended you schedule an appointment with a clinician to discuss this method further as it is fairly structured. If you do not use the FAM then ovulation is estimated.
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Q. My partner and I use protection some of the time, could I still get pregnant?
A. Yes. Engaging in vaginal sex can lead to pregnancy, but if protection is used consistently (each and every time) and correctly then it reduces the chances of pregnancy. Each birth control method has it’s own effectiveness rates as well as pros and cons. It is best to talk with you partner and clinician to figure out the best method for you.
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Q. My cycle is irregular, can I still get pregnant?
A. Yes. If your cycle is irregular, it’s more difficult for you to even estimate when you may be ovulating. But, if a woman is ovulating then they have the possibility of becoming pregnant.
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Q. Can I get pregnant if I don’t ovulate?
A. No. Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovaries to the fallopian tubes. If an egg is not released then it cannot be fertilized by sperm and then is unable to implant in the uterus (because there is no fertilized egg to implant). So, if a woman is not ovulating then she is unable to get pregnant.
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Q. Can I get pregnant if I’m on my period?
A. Some women can get pregnant if they have sex while on their period as it depends on when they ovulate.
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Q. Can I get pregnant if my cycle isn’t 28-days?
A. Yes. It doesn’t matter what the length of your cycle is, but when you ovulate. Please see the FAQ’s on ovulation.
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Q. How do you know when a woman is ovulating?
A. Ovulation occurs one day out of the woman's cycle and is usually the middle day of the cycle. The first day of a woman's cycle is the first day of her period/bleeding. Hypothetically, if a woman is on a 28-day cycle then ovulation may occur on day 14, with menstruation being days 1-5 (or 6... depending on what is normal for the woman). Ovulation is usually an estimated day as the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is the main method to track ovulation. If you’re interested in using FAM as a birth control method it is recommended you see a clinician to discuss the method as it is very structured.
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Q. When can I take a pregnancy test?
A. Most pregnancy test can be taken the first day of a missed period. It is recommended anyone taking a home pregnancy test (HPT) read the directions as they need to be followed to the tee for accuracy.
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Q. Can pre-cum get me pregnant?
A. Yes, it is possible pre-cum can get a woman pregnant. A male can release pre-cum multiple times throughout a sexual/intimate encounter without knowing. If a condom is used it is highly recommended it is used from erection to ejaculation each and every time.
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Q. Can a woman get pregnant if she doesn’t have an orgasm?
A. Yes. Having an orgasm has nothing to do with when a woman gets pregnant, but ovulation does. For more information on the topic of ovulation please see the FAQ’s on ovulation.
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Important numbers and web addresses:
UIC Family Medicine Clinic
(UIC Students receive free pregnancy, HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea testing)
996.2901
Emergency Contraception Hotline (24 hours, English and Spanish)
1-888-668-2528
Planned Parenthood General Information
1-800-230-PLAN
Planned Parenthood EC by phone (need a credit card)
1-866-222-EC4U (3248)
Planned Parenthood EC4U on the web (need a credit card)
http://www.ppca.org/ec4u/ec4umain.html
General EC information
http://ec.princeton.edu
Online EC prescription websites (need a credit card)
http://www.getthepill.com
http://www.morningafterpill.net
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