Am I Just Stressing or Could I Be Pregnant?

Published: July 30, 2018
Dear TeenHealthFX,

I had protected intercourse 2 days ago and I have been having stomach aches and headaches(headaches are usually normal for me) and I've had mood swings the past 2 weeks idk if I'€™m just catching a flu I'€™ve also don't know if I'™ve been sleeping enough but I just wanna make sure I'€™m not stressing about anything

Signed: Am I Just Stressing or Could I Be Pregnant?

Dear Am I Just Stressing or Could I Be Pregnant?,

If you are writing to TeenHealthFX because you are worried you might be pregnant due to have protected sex 2 days ago, FX would like you to consider a couple of things:

The first thing to consider is what kind of protection you used in terms of how effective it is in preventing unwanted pregnancy. If you use some type of birth control and use it exactly as directed, your chances of pregnancy will be much lower than if not used as directed. For example, did your partner use a condom? If he did, did it break? Did he use it the entire time you had intercourse? Are you taking any kind of birth control, such as the pill? If you are, do you take the pill around the same time every day without forgetting? For more information on different types of birth control and their level of effectiveness, click here.

The second thing to consider if you are concerned you might be pregnant from having protected sex two days ago is that for most women the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Symptoms such as headaches and stomachaches are generally not going to occur within a few days of having sex.

Since you are experiencing stomach aches, headaches, and mood swings, and because FX cannot give you any kind of definitive diagnosis online, FX recommends that you schedule an appointment with your primary care physician, gynecologist or adolescent medicine specialist so you can find out why you are experiencing these symptoms and what you can do to alleviate them. You might have some kind of virus or you might be dealing with stress. Only by meeting with a doctor will you have a better idea of what it is you are dealing with. You can also let your doctor know about any pregnancy concerns so that he/she can find out some details (such as the type of birth control used) to let you know the possibility of pregnancy.

TeenHealthFX would also like to encourage you to speak to your doctor about safer sex precautions for the future. Doctors generally recommend that teens and young adults who choose to be sexually active use condoms each and every time they have sex to protect against unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of STDs, as well as a back-up method of birth control such as the pill or birth control shot. Your doctor can make the best recommendations for you and discuss with you how to use properly use birth control to maximize its effectiveness.

If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist or contact your local teen health center or Planned Parenthood. A Planned Parenthood health center is a good option if you have concerns about cost or confidentiality issues. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers.

FX also suggests that you check out the links in our Resource of the Month: Planned Parenthood Resources on Safer Sex so that you can learn about sexual readiness, how pregnancy happens, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception, birth control, STDs and more. The more educated you are about these topics, the more likely you will make healthy decisions for yourself when it comes to your sexual health.

Signed: TeenHealthFX

Ratings