Pregnancy / Question
Published: March 29, 2000
Dear TeenHealthFX,
How can I know the times when I can become pregnant and when I can't (or won't) --- without spending money on asking professionals?
Signed: My Cycle & Pregnancy
Dear My Cycle & Pregnancy,
Let's start out by saying that the only way that you can ensure that you definitely will not become pregnant is to not have sex. Sex is a big decision and one that you need to consider seriously before you decide to have it. You and your potential partner should discuss sex and both of you should go to a teen health center. Your worry should not only be pregnancy, but STDs as well. If you decide that you are going to have sex, you need to go to a teen health center for a gynecological exam, and birth control and STD counseling.
You mentioned in your question "without spending money or asking a professional." Teen health centers can see teens for sexual health reasons without parental consent and on a low/no cost basis. It is very important that you do not rely only on your menstrual cycle for birth control. When you are a teenager, your menstrual cycle is often irregular and not a good prediction of when you will ovulate. This makes it extremely difficult to give you any safe times to have unprotected sex. Also, this method of birth control is unreliable and offers no protection against STDs. A note here: If you decide that you are ready for sex, you need to take the responsibility of your medical health and go to a teen health center.
In northern New Jersey, please call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at (973) 971.5199 or call your local Planned Parenthood.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
The teen pregnancy rate in the United States is the highest of any industrialized democracy, nearly twice that of Great Britain and 10 times that of Japan. 
