Sexy Time: 5 Facts That Will Scare the S**t Out of You

January 29, 2009 9:00 am     Posted in Relationships, Sex  Elizabeth - UC Berkeley g+ page

justwearit.gifTwo days ago, I went to my university’s health center. Now usually I completely disregard any information I get at the health center on the grounds of either a) I have heard that every year since I first took sex ed in 7th grade, or b) they’re full of ish.


By Elizabeth

But this time, by the luck of the draw, I happened to get a check-up from someone that (gasp!) actually knew what they were talking about. Now I’m not saying you should listen to this doctor (nurse practitioner if you want to get technical) instead of your own, but these are a few little known facts I picked up that I thought I would share. Beware, as these tidbits may scare you away from sex for life (or at least for the night).

1. In order for your birth control to be 99.7% effective, you must take it every day within 30 minutes of the same time.

Apparently, the hormones that make you temporarily infertile only work for 24 straight hours. According to Susan (the nurse practitioner), you should be okay if you miss the time by 1 to 2 hours. If you miss more than that, however, you should use condoms for at least a week.

2. If you don’t take birth control at the same time every day, the effectiveness can be as low as 92%.

For all of you that have taken statistics, that means you have an 8% chance of getting preggers. Let me say that clearer: the chance of you having a small person come out of you in 9 months is 26 times higher if you don’t take your b.c. regularly. Noooo thank you.

3. Some STDs, especially HIV, have an incubation period of up to 6 months.

That means that even if you are negative for the disease today, you won’t be in the clear until you have another negative test 6 months from now. And that only applies if you haven’t engaged in any high-risk sexual activity. In short, make him wrap it up.

4. You can get HIV easier from oral-anal contact aka “rimming” (the grossest sex slang ever) than from any other form of oral sex.

This one was in a Safe Sex pamphlet that Susan so generously gave me. Not that I’m recommending that everybody run and try this one out, but just use that fact to put things into perspective.

5. Alcohol and drugs can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to infection.

Yes kids, that includes STDs and other icky things. I can also testify that being drunk makes having sex, especially enjoyable sex, just that much more difficult to maneuver. What’s more, according to my lovely pamphlet, alcohol and drugs can also impair your judgment and make you do things you may regret in the morning. Who knew?

35 Comments on "Sexy Time: 5 Facts That Will Scare the S**t Out of You"

  1. Kath says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20097:44 am 

    That's idiotic to say you have to use condoms if you take the pill over 2 hours after. The stupidest thing I've heard in a while. A) it is written on the box that you are ALWAYS protected if you are late up to 12 hours. Basically it's ok even up to 24 hours. If it was like it's said here, I would be a mother of 12 children by now. I've had a steady bf for one year and there wasn't a time when I wouldn't forget about my pill. 1 hour, 3 hours, sometimes (not often but it happened) even 12 hours and such. And what? Nope, not pregnant even though we didn't use condoms. Such BULLSHIT! Please don't write crap if you haven't got the slightest idea what you're writing about. You're just scaring poor girls… READ WHAT'S WRITTEN ON THE DAMN BOX!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. Erin says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20098:02 am 

    I have heard relatively the same thing that Elizabeth posted.

    Now I'm not saying this info is bullshit, but like Kath said, I too have been on BC for a VERY long time. I can definitely admit to NOT taking my pill within 2 hours daily. For the most part it was generally at the same time, but there were a LOT of times I would take it one morning and then take it at night the following day. Never got knocked up and never used condoms (monogamous bf).

    I personally believe as long as you take your BC EVERYDAY and don't skip you will be fine.

  3. Lauren, University o says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20098:18 am 

    Um, that is a harsh reaction, Kath. She never said you will 100% get pregnant. What she DID say was that your chances of getting pregnant are INCREASED. Just because you didn't get pregnant doesn't mean she's making up info. You are just very lucky. So stop being such a hater. My god, it is better to be EXTRA careful than to just be pretty casual about taking the pill.

    Maybe it's time you took a chill pill. Yeah, I said it. AYOOOO.

  4. Lara says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20098:40 am 

    87.5% of all statistics are made up. Just sayin'.

    Anyway, this nurse practitioner is giving information from years ago. My physician regularly goes to women's health conferences and she has told me that you can take your pill whenever you want, although it's better to take it around the same time of the day so you form the habit and don't forget. Not to mention that if this information were true, I would not have had 3 different physicians tell me that if I forget a pill, I can just take two the next day and still be protected.

    =/

  5. Maria says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20099:11 am 

    Kath really needs to calm down. And boxes can be wrong just like people can. Missing/skipping a pill doesn't mean that you WILL get prego. Also, I can't imagine that it would be very good for your insides to be skipping all around on the times like that…

  6. Sarah says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 200910:29 am 

    Kath,

    You SOUND like your going through METH withdraws. CHILL the fuck OUT.

    kTHXbye.

  7. J says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 200910:29 am 

    A) Birth control pills are completely effective when taken within 3 hours of the same time every night, not 30 minutes. I am a nursing student and have worked extensively in women's health research with many highly educated healthcare professionals.

    B)STDs are actually called STIs now (sexually transmitted infections), therefore any information you received that had STD written in it is definitely outdated.

    C)Those STI facts were news to you?

  8. Sarah says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 200910:31 am 

    Kath,

    you SOUND like you are going through METH withdrawls. CHILL the FUCK out.

    Kthx.

  9. T says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 200911:39 am 

    Wow, what a harsh reaction! Kath, there are many other factors in getting pregnant other than if you take your birth control on time or not. The point is, birth control tricks your body into thinking it is already pregnant due to the consistent levels of hormones the pill puts into your system. This doesn't mean that you're not ovulating. So the time of the month that you have unprotected sex, whether being on BC or not needs to be taken into consideration. Remember, not all girl's body's are the same and what works for you doesn't mean it will work for everyone. What birth control your on and the type of hormones it has in it also matters, b/c the half life of all drugs are different….which is why the recommendation is 30 minutes but 2-3 hours is okay. Think about the double dose many BC's tell you to take if you miss a day…this is for a reason.

    I'm not sure why you attacked the author this way but you're rebuttal could have been a bit more about facts, for example, quoting the instructions for your BC and noting for everyone the type your on rather than attacking the author.

  10. Amanda says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 200911:53 am 

    I am a nurse, and I have also been on birth control for 5 years. It is true that if you take it at the same time, or within an hour or two, every day that it is more of a guarantee, you shouldn't worry if it's a couple hours difference day to day.

    If you do miss it one day though, take the missed pill right when you wake up in the morning, and then your pill for that day at your regular time.

  11. Ibrahim | ZenCollege says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20093:28 pm 

    It's funny that anyone would argue with or even test whether or not the birth control thing is true. I'm not willing to take chances like that, I'm no gambling man!

    Good luck to the disbelievers…

  12. Cathy says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20097:08 pm 

    WHy is Kathonly worried about the preggers part…you use a condom with b.c. so that your chances of getting an STI is less, nothing is 100% effective but a condom is as good as it gets with safe sex…

    B.C doesnt protect you from anything other thank that 98….% chance of pregnancy.

    I'm taking a course on HIV/AIDS now and it's not being contained…people are are spreading it knowingly and unknowingly everyday 7,400 cases a day globally

    If youre too stupid to wear a condom youre too stupid to have sex!

  13. Cathy says:
    Thu, 29th Jan 20097:09 pm 

    WHy is Kath only worried about the preggers part??…you use a condom with b.c. so that your chances of getting an STI is less, nothing is 100% effective but a condom is as good as it gets with safe sex…

    B.C doesnt protect you from anything other than that 98….% chance of pregnancy.

    I'm taking a course on HIV/AIDS now and the virus is not being contained…people are are spreading it knowingly and unknowingly everyday 7,400 cases a day globally

    If youre too stupid to wear a condom youre too stupid to have sex!

  14. Rusty Wadsworth says:
    Fri, 30th Jan 20096:01 am 

    I agree with Lauren – University of Michigan 100%. Get a grip people.

  15. Meregan says:
    Fri, 30th Jan 200911:57 am 

    It also depends on what kind of pill you're on. If you're taking combination pills, a couple of hours won't make a huge difference. If you're on progesterone only pills, the time frame is much tighter. Read the small print. And chill. It's much better to be over-cautious than overly dismissive.

  16. GZ says:
    Fri, 30th Jan 20093:47 pm 

    you people are so horny, jesus.

  17. Gwen B. says:
    Sat, 31st Jan 20097:55 pm 

    Lara, did you get that statistics thing off of a hooters handwipe pack??? I have seen that one on there many times.

    I too agree with everyone. Kath, you need to get your shit straight and calm the fuck down. If anything you are gonna get some girl pregnant because she will think she can skip her pill like you and never get pregnant. You are very lucky. I have missed my pill before and still had sex but my boyfriend and I almost always use condoms (If we don't it is a rare occasion) just to be extra safe. The last thing I need, or any of you girls, it to be a baby momma at 20 in college. Thats serious Jamie Lynn Spears shit there. I bet she didn't take her birth control just like Kath. If I were you Kath I would take a pregnancy test just to be sure. And Lauren, you rock!

    P.S. all you girls should also know if you are ever taking an anti-biotic at the same time that you are on the pill, the anti-biotic makes birth control ineffective. I have to be put on anti-biotics a lot so my doctors always warn me about that. But you really should use a condom no matter what, its better to be too safe, than very sorry.

  18. Mr. Matthews says:
    Mon, 2nd Feb 20091:08 am 

    I really feel for you women. I tell you, if there were a birth prevention pill for men, I'll be on it; on time every time. I think Kath had enough, and gets the idea about how harsh her comment was. But let's take into consideration something here ladies. You are talking about miss taking your pill on time for a CONSECTIVE monthly range of 12 times! Put yourself in her shoes for a sec. Think of how devastated and disgusted she felt about herself in her irresponsibility. She was obviously distraught, by her actions, to the point of indirectly lashing out at a simple article that put the truth (or part of it) in her face. Kath, it’s okay. Just, for the sake of our indirect care & love for you as a human, try taking them on time. Okay hun?

    Maige_Matthews@yahoo.com Subject: Birth Control

  19. Amanda C. says:
    Mon, 2nd Feb 200910:27 am 

    I agree with what everyone has said so far on BC regarding Kath's crazy response to the article, but I'm actually really surprised about what people are saying about condom use.

    Condoms aren't just for preventing pregnancies (no new news there), but Kath wasn't the only one to say she doesn't need to use condoms because she's in a monogamous relationship.

    HELLO: PEOPLE CHEAT!

    It happens, and they're probably not going to tell you before they do it, so you need to be smart and protect yourself (and the rest of us). Stop spreading STIs people. Use a GD condom! (Please)

  20. Kirsten says:
    Mon, 2nd Feb 20095:46 pm 

    This is why everyone should read Cosmo.

  21. Erinnn B says:
    Wed, 4th Feb 20092:35 pm 

    There are usually only three days out of every month that you can get pregnant, and all of the conditions have to be JUST RIGHT. We're told to take our pills at around the same time every day because that makes them most effective. EIther way, it's not foolproof. If you're on other medications, especially antibiotics, they can completely cancel out your pill and then you definitely should use a backup method then. She is just giving us these tips to inform us of the BEST ways to not get prego. Some people need to lighten up. (Example: Kath. Seriously, no need to freak. :)

  22. Cherry TV says:
    Wed, 4th Feb 20097:34 pm 

    Pregnancy shit is scary – but the truth about STDs is even scarier!! You can have syphilis, which can ultimately make you infertile, and have NO SYMPTOMS. There are tons of little-known facts like that out there.

    Kristen, why Cosmo? They just basically give "100 ways to make him articles". Not to be grossly self-promotional, but check out this video. It talks all about STDs and what to do:

    http://www.cherrytv.com/video/noncurable-stds

  23. M says:
    Thu, 5th Feb 200912:40 pm 

    Actually, what a lot of you aren't taking into consideration is the fact that there are different brands of birth control pills. There are progesterone pills and there are combination pills and whichever one you take determines how effective it can be even after skipped hours.

    So just because your box may say one thing, doesn't mean it's true for someone else's brand of pills.

    If it worries you enough, just ask your doctor. That's what they're there for.

  24. Kourtney says:
    Fri, 6th Feb 20092:30 pm 

    Wow…very very interesting. that would probably explain how my friend got pregnant. She says she was taking her pill..maybe not at the same time everyday

  25. C says:
    Sun, 15th Feb 20096:10 pm 

    why not just double up? birth control pill +condom= very effective! Then you don't have to worry about anything if you A) miss a pill or B)the condom breaks. you will also be protected from STI's. doubling up is best!

  26. Don says:
    Mon, 4th Jan 20109:45 pm 

    Cathy wrote: "’I'm taking a course on HIV/AIDS now and it’s not being contained…people are are spreading it knowingly and unknowingly everyday 7,400 cases a day globally."

    Well, besides trying to terrorize people out of having sex and taking a course, what else do you do?

    It's interesting that nowhere do you talk about the modes of transmission or that most DOCUMENTED cases of HIV are being spread through sharing needles and illegal drugs, or through having unprotected sex with drug abusers. it's also interesting that nowhere do you explain that in places such as Africa, many of the cases called HIV or AIDS are diagnosed purely through observation of symptoms and not through actual blood tests that are too expensive. As a result, many rare and unusual diseases are called "HIV" simply so they can get money to treat the patients as money to treat the rarer diseases is not available.

    Elizabeth rightly points out that alcohol and drugs weaken the immune system, leaving you open for STDs. However Cathy, too busy terrorizing readers, doesn't mention the impact lack of sanitation has on weakening the immune system among many people in non-industrialized countries.

    Your figure of 7,400 people getting HIV a day is taken without context or meaning and is only meant to terrorize people into thinking that sex is scary instead of beautiful, fun, and sometimes even spiritual.

    Please…spread your terror and paranoia elsewhere.

  27. justin says:
    Tue, 4th May 20109:08 pm 

    hey Kath did you ever think maybe your just infertile

  28. Every man says:
    Sat, 7th May 201112:46 am 

    yeah but it feels like shit

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