Myths and Facts about Unplanned Pregnancy
About 50% of U.S. pregnancies each year are not planned, and most of these unplanned pregnancies happen to people less than 24 years old. Planning your next pregnancy can help make sure you have another baby when you are financially and emotionally ready. One way to help to prevent an unplanned pregnancy is by using birth control. Most methods are easy to use and highly effective.
What might someone say who isn’t ready to be pregnant, but also isn't using birth control?
What might someone say who isn’t ready to be pregnant, but also isn't using birth control?
Myth 1: "I'm not at risk."
Even after having one child, some people may think they are unlikely to get pregnant again. Perhaps they don’t have sex very often anymore, so they think their risk is low. It’s important to remember that if you’re having vaginal sex, a pregnancy could happen. About 85% of people will get pregnant if they have sex for a year without using any protection.
Myth 2: "You can't control when pregnancy happens."
Planning when you get pregnant can be really important in helping you to reach your goals. Some people may think that pregnancy is inevitable, or that it will just happen to you when it happens. Good news is: you DO have control! For someone who isn’t using any form of contraceptive, like birth control or condoms, pregnancy is very likely to happen eventually. But if you’re really trying to prevent a pregnancy, there are so many safe and reliable options to protect yourself from pregnancy, including many hormonal and non-hormonal prescription birth control methods, as well as condoms.
Myth 3: "Birth control isn't that effective."
In fact, birth control is incredibly effective--so much more so than using nothing at all. While it’s true that no method, other than abstinence, is 100% effective, many people don’t know that other methods of birth control are very effective when used correctly and consistently–some up to 99% effective. (That’s almost as protective as not having sex at all!)
Myth 4: "Birth control causes infertility."
Because birth control is really helpful at preventing pregnancy, some people think that it means they'll never be able to get pregnant (infertility). However, once you stop using birth control, your body goes back to normal and you can get pregnant right away.
Regardless of the reason why you haven’t used birth control in the past, you always have a chance to find the right method for you now to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. Find resources below, and support from the YUP! community here. If you don't have an account, create one and join us.
Helpful Resources
- Planned Parenthood: This is a nationwide network of health centers that offers affordable sexual reproductive services and resources such as, STI testing, birth control, and free condoms.
- Bedsider: Bedsider is an online birth control support network for women 18-29 operated by Power to Decide, the campaign to prevent unplanned pregnancy.
- Title X: These clinics are federally funded to provide low-to-no cost reproductive health care, including STI testing and contraception.
