As I said in our first Lady Bits post, I am obsessed with reproductive and sexual health. It's what I love to read about, learn about and I've been lucky enough to work at a reproductive and sexual health clinic where I got to talk about these things all day. It's gotten to the point where no topic is taboo but rather a common occurrence in everyday conversation with my friends. And you know what I realized? A lot of us have the same questions, worries or stories, but nobody realizes this because there's no space to talk about it. Instead we're left wondering and googling, which can lead to a lot of mystery and worrying. But that's not how it should be! Instead we should all enjoy the chance to talk openly, ask questions and enjoy the comfort in knowing that there are a lot of other people out there thinking and wondering about the same things.
So Lady Bits friends, I present to you Vagina Talk*, a safe space to talk about reproductive and sexual health in a straight forward and supportive way. I'll be sharing news, stories and answering your questions related to all things reproductive and sexual health. Let's get started!
*while this is called Vagina Talk, this will be a space to discuss all body parts and sexual health matters related to all genders. I just really like the word vagina.
Late periods are never fun and can be super stressful. If you're concerned you might be pregnant, taking a pregnancy test will test for the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. If you're taking a home pregnancy test, you should take it first thing in the morning since that's when your urine is most concentrated. When home pregnancy tests are accurate can vary on the brand but in general, most pregnancy test brands are accurate one week after a missed period. If you don't want to take a test at home, pregnancy tests at clinics can be accurate as early as 10 days after your last unprotected intercourse. Need a clinic? Use this awesome clinic finder!
If you take a pregnancy test and it's negative, know that stress, life changes or even increased exercise can alter your cycle. But if you still haven't gotten your period and are feeling pregnancy symptoms, you should take another pregnancy test one week after your last one just to make sure. Since every body and cycle is different, for some people the levels of hCG may be too low to be detected by a test during the first few days after a missed period. If you still haven't gotten your period for three months, make an appointment with a doctor to check out what's going on.
Finally, if your period is late, you have a negative pregnancy test and are on the pill, Nuva Ring or Patch, it's really important that you start your next pack/ring/patch when you're supposed to even if you haven't gotten your period! If you go longer than 7 days without your pill/ring/patch, you won't be completely protected and should use a back up method for a week.
So Lady Bits friends, I present to you Vagina Talk*, a safe space to talk about reproductive and sexual health in a straight forward and supportive way. I'll be sharing news, stories and answering your questions related to all things reproductive and sexual health. Let's get started!
*while this is called Vagina Talk, this will be a space to discuss all body parts and sexual health matters related to all genders. I just really like the word vagina.
Question: My period is late... when should I take a pregnancy test?
Late periods are never fun and can be super stressful. If you're concerned you might be pregnant, taking a pregnancy test will test for the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. If you're taking a home pregnancy test, you should take it first thing in the morning since that's when your urine is most concentrated. When home pregnancy tests are accurate can vary on the brand but in general, most pregnancy test brands are accurate one week after a missed period. If you don't want to take a test at home, pregnancy tests at clinics can be accurate as early as 10 days after your last unprotected intercourse. Need a clinic? Use this awesome clinic finder!
If you take a pregnancy test and it's negative, know that stress, life changes or even increased exercise can alter your cycle. But if you still haven't gotten your period and are feeling pregnancy symptoms, you should take another pregnancy test one week after your last one just to make sure. Since every body and cycle is different, for some people the levels of hCG may be too low to be detected by a test during the first few days after a missed period. If you still haven't gotten your period for three months, make an appointment with a doctor to check out what's going on.
Finally, if your period is late, you have a negative pregnancy test and are on the pill, Nuva Ring or Patch, it's really important that you start your next pack/ring/patch when you're supposed to even if you haven't gotten your period! If you go longer than 7 days without your pill/ring/patch, you won't be completely protected and should use a back up method for a week.
Do you have a question? Submit it to Lady Bits for Anna P. to answer!
While Anna P. is experienced in providing evidence based, comprehensive and sex positive sexual and reproductive health education, Anna P. is not a medical practitioner and should only be used as a health education resource and not a substitute for medical care. If you need medical care, referrals to clinics and additional resources are located in each post.
While Anna P. is experienced in providing evidence based, comprehensive and sex positive sexual and reproductive health education, Anna P. is not a medical practitioner and should only be used as a health education resource and not a substitute for medical care. If you need medical care, referrals to clinics and additional resources are located in each post.
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