Thanks for writing in to us; you sound quite confused and concerned and it’s always best to ask for advice when we’re feeling concerned about something.

Some of the symptoms you mention like cramping, finding it hard to go to the loo, a headache and bloating could be signs of your period coming, signs of pregnancy or they could be signs of another health related issue.

We’re not doctors here at ReachOut.com, so we would encourage you to speak with your local doctor/GP about how you’re feeling. Since you have previously had two miscarriages, it’s a good idea to talk to your GP if you think you might be pregnant. Your GP will be able to do a pregnancy test to let you know. If you are pregnant, your GP will be able to advise and support you as best as possible. If you’re not pregnant, he or she can help you figure out what’s going on and what’s causing the cramping and bloating.If you don’t already have a GP, you can find one on the ICGP website.

You say you’ve been feeling really stressed lately, so here’s some information on ReachOut.com that might be useful to help you deal with that stress. We all need to relax and take time out, so if you find yourself getting stressed maybe try the breathing exercise on our relaxation page, arrange to have a chat with a friend or go for a walk to help clear your head. These things can help us to relax a little bit and deal with the stresses we face.

We hope this helps cc85 and do talk to your GP about what’s going on for you.

Take care,

Fenella

There could be many reasons why your period may be late it does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. If your period doesn’t come in the next few weeks it’s a good idea to take a pregnancy test just in case.

Also if you are worried about your menstrual cycle or discharge it’s a good idea to discuss this with your doctor to put your mind at ease.

It can be hard but try not to get too stressed but stress can delay your period and there could be many other reasons for why it’s late. So try your best not to worry.

It’s good to hear that you have been using contraceptives while being sexual active but it’s important to remember that the patch will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). Only condoms can protect you from STI’s so it’s a good idea to use condoms too.

Take care
Roisin

Thanks for writing in to us. Did you notice if the condom broke or came off at any stage while you were having sex? If it didn’t, then you’re probably ok, so try not to stress too much. It may be too early to tell anyway if you are pregnant. We think the best thing to do for now is to try to relax and wait to see if your period comes when it is due. If it doesn’t then you may need to take a pregnancy test to find out.

You can make an appointment with your local doctor/GP to take a pregnancy test or you can take a home pregnancy test. These home pregnancy tests are available to buy in most pharmacies.

Just so you know as well, girls produce a sticky liquid while having sex and it acts as a lubricant. This may be the liquid you say that you saw.

If you wanted to look into other forms of contraception, you can check out ReachOut.com’s contraception page or you can talk to your GP about it. /

We know it can be stressful, but for now, try to relax and wait to see if your period comes.

Take care,
Fenella

Thanks for writing in to us. We can hear that you’re confused and we hope we can help you out.

It is very unlikely that you are pregnant but it is still important that you go to your local family doctor/GP to discuss any abnormal bleeding.

We’re not trying to tell you what to do, but it’s not a good idea to have unprotected sex. As well as the possibilty of becoming pregnant, it can lead to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms help protect against STIs as well as being a contraceptive, so its a good idea to make sure your partner wears one during sex. Check out the sexual health section on ReachOut.com for information about contraception and about sexually transmitted infections. The Irish Family Planning website has lots of useful information too; see http://www.ifpa.ie.

We would encourage you to speak with your GP about the bleeding you are experiencing and about future contraception options and any other concerns you may have. If you don’t already have one, you can find a GP at http://www.icgp.ie.

We hope this helps Katie

Take care,
Fenella

It can be really stressful for both you and your girlfriend if you think she might be pregnant and it’s good that you’re seeking advice on this as we can hear you’re confused and worried.

We don’t want to stress you out even more, but it is possible for a girl to get pregnant at any time during her cycle although it is less likely during her period. Different girls have different menstrual cycles; the average is 28 days, but some girls can have longer or shorter cycles. So we’re not sure what stage of her cycle your girlfriend was at on the 22nd day of her cycle. Regardless, she can get pregnant at any stage during her cycle.

Sex doesn’t usually ‘throw your period off’ but stress can definitely affect and delay a girl’s period. However, as your girlfriend is 7 days late and her periods are usually regular, we would encourage her to go to see her GP and have a pregnancy test. She could also buy a pregnancy test in a pharmacy and do the test herself.

Pregnancy tests can be positive from 9 days after conceiving, so if it’s been 9 days or more since you had sex, your girlfriend can do a pregnancy test now. If not, she should wait until it’s been 9 days and then take the test.

The positive options website provides information on how to find free services that can support you and your girlfriend if it turns out that she is pregnant. These free counselling services can give you emotional support and practical advice.

We’re not trying to tell you what to do and we know you’re understandably stressed and worried right now, but having unprotected sex isn’t a good idea and can bring about issues other than pregnancy. Condoms can protect you from STI’s as well as being a contraceptive. To read more on ReachOut.com about looking after your sexual health, click here and you could also check out the Irish Family Planning website http://www.ifpa.ie.

It’s really great that you’re there for your girlfriend through this. Whatever happens, being able to talk to each other openly will help.

Take care,
Fenella

A delayed or ‘late’ period is one of the signs of pregnancy, and is often the first one people notice.If you period is delayed by 8 or 9 weeks, then its possible you could be pregnant.

We would encourage you to go to your local GP to find out if you are pregnant. Your GP can do a pregnancy test to find out for sure. If you find out that you are pregnant and its unplanned, it can be a real shock and you’ll need a lot of support to help you through. So we hope that you have friends and family that you can talk to if you need to. The Irish Family Planning Association are a really good support organisation and would be good to check out if you do find out you are pregnant and need information or some extra support.

Even if you think you aren’t pregnant, it’s good to go and talk to your GP about it anyway because your period should generally be coming once every 4 weeks, although everyone’s menstrual cycle can be slightly different.

Take care tasha,
Fenella

It can be really stressful when you think you might be pregnant, especially if it’s unplanned.

Even when you use protection there is still always a small chance you can get pregnant. A sore throat and feeling gassy aren’t normally symptoms of pregnancy, but there’s really no way of telling until two weeks after you’ve had sex. In two weeks if you still think you could be pregnant then you can take a pregnancy test which you can get from a pharmacy or supermarket or go to see your doctor. The above fact sheet has some more information on the types of symptoms you should look out for if you think you might be pregnant and information on pregnancy tests. This fact sheet has information about going to see your GP.

Having sex under the age of 17 in Ireland is illegal. No matter what type of contraception you use or how careful you are there is always a chance of getting pregnant. The only way to make sure you don’t get pregnant is not having sex at all.

I am not going to tell you what to do but 13 is very young to be scared about being pregnant or to have a baby. It’s easy to push these consequences out of your mind when you’re caught up in the moment but it’s important to ask yourself if it’s really worth the stress and worry it can cause?

It’s really important that you speak to your partner and your parents or older brother or sister about whether you think you are ready to be having sex and about contraception. This section has some helpful hits for deciding if you are ready to have sex and about consent. You may also want to check out communication in relationships for some tips on how to talk openly with this about your partner and a trusted family member. Remember if you feel awkward about having these conversations then you are probably not ready to be having sex.

There are lots of other ways to show affection and that you care about someone and if your partner really cares about you they will be happy to wait too.

Take care
Roisin

I am sorry to hear that you’re not feeling well. You have done the right thing by asking for advice and are right to be concerned. If you have blood in your urine then you really need to speak to a doctor as soon as possible. Leaving things like this untreated will only make them worse and can cause long term damage to your body.

When a patient is under age there are some things that doctors have to tell by law but other things they may be able to keep confidential. If you ask your doctor about their confidentiality policy they will tell you what kind of things they would have to tell your parents by law and what type of things they are allowed to keep confidential.

It is important to remember that your doctor and your parents have your best interest at heart. Nobody wants you to be sick.

This video explains about going to see your GP if you haven’t been on your own before.

Take care
Roisin

We can hear how anxious you are and we don’t want to make you any more anxious, but there is always a chance that you may get pregnant if you don’t use protection when having sex. While it’s better than no method of contraception, pulling out isn’t a very reliable method. ReachOut.com has some information here about more reliable methods.

If you want to find out for sure whether you are pregnant, you can take a home pregnancy test or visit your family doctor/GP.

Pregnancy tests can be positive from 9 days after conceiving, but can sometimes take longer to become positive, so you can take the test in about a week’s time if your period hasn’t come by then. The Irish Family Planning Association can give you some more information on this if you need it.

Like you say, periods can be irregular and worry and stress can sometimes delay them, so although it’s tough, try to relax. If possible, talk to a trusted friend about this – don’t keep all your worries and anxieties bottled up. Waiting a week to take a test can be a long time, but whatever happens, there are people who can help and support you.

Take care of yourself,
Fenella

The only way to know for sure is to take a test. There are some places in Ireland that you can get a test for free. These services and how to contact them are listed on this page of the positive options website.

The positive options website also provides information on how to find free services that can support you if it turns out you are pregnant. These free counselling services can give you emotional support, practical advise and can help support you when telling your mum.

The fact that your mum has discouraged you from getting pregnant at a young age shows that she really cares about you. Although she may have wanted you to wait until you were older to get pregnant it doesn’t mean that she will “hate you”. All mums worry. Yo never know she may surprise you and may be a really good support to you after all she has been through it.

All the best
Roisin

As of February last year you can get this over the counter in pharmacies legally, but depending on where you are you might want to make sure it’s one of the bigger pharmacies. The price is between 10 and 20 euro. For your future reference the pill per month can cost from 5 to 20 euro per month.

Take care and look after yourself
Naoise

The page above lists some signs that might indicate that you are pregnant. If you don’t want to visit your doctor, you could take a home pregnancy test. These are available to buy in most pharmacies and are generally quite accurate.

Take care,
Fenella

Pregnancy tests can be positive from 9 days after conceiving, but can sometimes take longer to become positive in a normal pregnancy. You could wait a few days and then take a test at home again. You could also go to see your doctor/GP. The Irish Family Planning Association can provide you with more information.

Having unprotected sex can bring about issues other than pregnancy. Condoms can protect you from STI’s as well as being a contraceptive. It’s often a good idea to have a sexual health check if you’ve had unprotected sex. To read more on ReachOut.com about looking after your sexual health, click here.

Take care,
ReachOut

Home pregnancy tests are not always 100% accurate, and there is a very small chance that it could be wrong and have given you a false positive. It’s probably best to go to see your home doctor to find out for sure. If you are pregnant, it sounds like you’re in the early stages of pregnancy, and so you might not necessarily show any of the signs mentioned above yet.

The Irish Family Planning Association can provide you with more information if you need it.

Take care,
Fenella

It can be a really stressful situation to find yourself in and even though it’s hard, try to relax, as stress and worry can sometimes delay your period. It is possible to become pregnant at any time during your menstrual cycle, but having the signs you mention may not necessarily mean that you are pregnant, and as you are only one day late, your period may come yet.

To find out for sure, you can either take a pregnancy test at home or you can go to your GP or a family planning clinic if there’s one in your area. Pregnancy tests can be positive from 9 days after conceiving, but can sometimes take longer to become positive in a normal pregnancy. The Irish Family Planning Association can provide you with more information.

It’s important to mention to you as well, that sex without a condom isn’t a good idea, as they can protect you from STI’s as well as being a contraceptive. To read more on ReachOut.com about looking after your sexual health, click here.

Talking to someone close to you can be really helpful, as they can go with you to buy the pregnancy test or buy it for you if you’re not upto it and be with you while you take it, or go with you to the GP appointment. You’re not alone and there are people who can help and support you, whatever the outcome.

Take care,
Fenella

Stress and worry can sometimes delay your period, so even though it’s tough, try to stay calm. It’s important to remember that having the signs you mention does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. There may be other reasons why you are experiencing those things, especially as it’s only been a few days.

The latex in a condom breaks down over time, and so with an expired condom, there is a greater risk of the condom breaking or having developed tiny holes. If the condoms didn’t break while you were using them, it reduces the chance that any sperm escaped.

However to know for sure, you will need to either take a pregnancy test at home or visit your GP. Pregnancy tests can be positive from 9 days after conceiving, but can sometimes take longer to become positive in a normal pregnancy. It can be worth doing a test every 7 days until your period comes.

Make sure you and your boyfriend throw away the expired batch of condoms that you were using and get some new ones!

Take care,
Fenella

It was a good move going to your GP to be sure about this. The next step is to tell someone like a parent or guardian.

You really need to do this because of your age. If you’re worried about this, you could tell an older sibling someone older who you trust first and have them with you when you give your parents or guardians your news. If none of those options are available to you what about getting your GP to talk them.

There is no decision about an unplanned or crisis pregnancy that is right for everyone. But, again because of your age you do need a guardian to help you with the options available to you. You could still refer to your GP for advice on what is the best decision for you.

The Irish Family Family Planning Association has a low cost helpline on: 1850 495051 that can give you all of the information you need know right now, so do give them a call. There is also information on their website
http://www.ifpa.ie/ but it maybe good to talk to someone.

You also need to look after yourself as much as you can at this time, have a look this article.

Do look after yourself it is very important for all the changes your body is going through at this time and take care.

Regards
Naoise

As you used a condom it’s unlikely that you’re pregnant. However, stress and worry can delay your period so for reassurance you could either talk to your GP or take a home pregnancy kit. We hope it all works out for you and that there was no need to be so worried,

Take care
ReachOut

Pregnancy tests can be positive from 9 days after conceiving, but can sometimes take longer to become positive in a normal pregnancy. It can be worth doing a test every 7 days until your period comes. We’re not experts in reproductive health here at ReachOut so it would be a good idea to see your GP about this. As we’ve mentioned already you can get good advice from the Irish Family Planning Association.

Take care
ReachOut

Sorry to hear you’re so worried and unsure at the moment. It really sounds like you’ve taken all the necessary precautions that you could take, well done for being so responsible! As long as you have been taking the pill correctly, combined with the fact that you used a condom, the chances of becoming preganant are very small. And continue to use a condom as they provide protection against STIs (sexually transmitted infections). If you are still concerned you can take a home pregnancy test 9 days after having sex, or talk to your GP for advice. For more information you could check out the Irish Family Planning Association website.

Take care,
Naoise