Knocked Up?

August 20, 2007 5:51 AM

ParanoidFilter: Is there *any* chance I could get pregnant?

I unexpectedly ended up in bed with a friend last night. He did not ejaculate inside me (his penis didn't penetrate), but he did rub against me and I touched his penis (which was wet...pre-cum?) then myself. I know the odds must be low, but I'm very paranoid that I could somehow get pregnant. Plus, I'm probably ovulating. Really I'm just seeking clarification/reassurance and also wondering if it's worth it to get the MAP just in case.

Sorry for sounding stupid, but I'm pretty inexperienced and although I know logically the chances of me getting pregnant are slim to none, there's a tiny part of me thinking "oh shit, what if?"

posted by anonymous to Home & Garden (12 answers total)

Yep there's a chance, though probably small. Try peeing on a stick i.e. pregancy tester kit, though I'm not sure how early they can detect. Time to go the store and investigate!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:55 AM on August 20, 2007

Yes, there is always a chance you could be pregnant. However, it's slim and depends a lot on what stage you were in in your cycle. It's also pretty normal to have "OMG am I PREGNANT?!" feelings the night after a drunken romp with a friend you wound up in bed with unexpectedly. If you're looking for any chance, then yeah sure there's a chance. If you're looking for likely, figure out where you were in your cycle [i.e. fertile or non fertile] (science-based article on this) and talk to a health care professional. This is a quesiton that people ask the internet a lot and probably needs better advice than the hive mind can provide.
posted by jessamyn at 6:00 AM on August 20, 2007

There's a LiveJournal community called am_i_pregnant that deals with questions like this all the time. It's moderated by a friend of mine, so I can vouch for it being a supportive place to go, but (being male) I've never actually posted there.
posted by cerebus19 at 6:09 AM on August 20, 2007

Wikipedia refers to two studies that suggest that any sperm present in pre-ejaculate may be ineffectual at causing pregnancy. You might also like to read about the effectiveness of the withdrawal method of contraception which arguably wouldn't work at all if pre-ejaculate had any significant ability to cause pregnancy. The only thing that would increase the risk would be if he'd not urinated since his last ejaculation.

It is very, very unlikely that you are pregnant, but if you're going to be worried sick about it despite the advice you'll get here, then I don't see why you wouldn't just take the MAP to get some peace of mind.
posted by tomcooke at 6:12 AM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]

Why dont you just go get some Plan-B emergency contraception (its now over the counter) and stop worrying about it?
posted by jlowen at 6:18 AM on August 20, 2007

Go to your pharmacy counter and ask for Plan B and stop worrying about it.
posted by ALongDecember at 6:50 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]

Thirding the morning after pill. You have a 72 hour window after the contact to take it, but the earlier the better. It is compatible with virtually all contraceptive pills, and will take you less time than posting online :).

But I wonder, oh anonymous, why you decided to post this in Home & Garden...
posted by stereo at 7:00 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]

Another vote for plan B peace of mind.
posted by desjardins at 7:00 AM on August 20, 2007

See "always a chance" disclaimers above.

But no, you're not pregnant.
posted by desuetude at 7:05 AM on August 20, 2007

So...if you're paranoid, your peace of mind definitely lies in Emergency Contraception. It's best taken ASAP, and if you're 18+, yes you can get it over the counter in the US. IF, however, you are a minor, you need a prescription.
(EC actually works up to 5 days--120 hours--after the encounter. It's much more effective sooner rather than later, though)

1-800-230 PLAN is how you'd contact Planned Parenthood to get a script (note: I'm not sure how this works, exactly)

Princeton University seems to have a database you can search to find providers in your area as well.

Lord I'll be glad when this goes OTC for all.

Meanwhile, you can also ask your doctor for a prescription to keep on hand for these just in case scenarios.
posted by Stewriffic at 8:42 AM on August 20, 2007

Get Plan B. Stop stressing out. You won't be able to know for WEEKS!
posted by k8t at 10:38 AM on August 20, 2007

You are very unlikely to be pregnant, but you'll feel a lot better for taking emergency contraception. If you are in the UK and over 16, you can get it over the counter at your pharmacy for £26 (or free from your GP). If you're in the US, the Planned Parenthood number is above. If you're in any other country, google 'emergency contraception'.
posted by happyturtle at 10:50 AM on August 20, 2007