OK, you know you can't get pregnant by kissing. But do you really know all the facts? The family Planning Association recently published a shaming survey, based on calls received by their helpline, revealing that when it comes to sex education, many of us can still be as clueless as a blushing teenager...
What Can You do After Sex to Stop You Becoming Pregnant?
The emergency contraceptive pill can be taken up to 72 hours after you've had sex and is 95% effective when taken within 24 hours. But the effectiveness reduces the later it is taken-72 hours after sex it is 58% effective. You can also get fitted with the coil (IUD) up to five days after unprotected sex. A staggering 29% thought douching, urinating or short bursts of vigorous exercise such as jumping would stop them getting pregnant!
When is your most fertile time?
It's actually between 10 and 16 days before your next period...during this time you are more likely to get pregnant. Over half of women surveyed got this wrong or didn't know the answer.
How Long Can Sperm Live Inside a Woman's Body?
Incredibly, it can live up to seven days. 89% didn't know the answer - most of us thought it was 48 hours.
Does Pre-Ejaculate, the Fluid a Guy Produces Before he Comes, Contain Sperm?
A drop of semen the size of a full stop can contain up to 1,500 sperm. 24 % thought that it didn't contain sperm. So pop on the condom before he gets too excited!
This is one subject you can never learn too much about. Here are some need-to-know facts about new developments you definitely never heard about at school.
- Condoms can now be bought in a flared version and in lengths of up to 205mm and widths of 63mm. Oh, and Durex condoms can hold 40 liters of air! So next time he complains their too tight...
- An implant (a small flexible rod containing the hormone progesterone inserted under the skin by a doctor or nurse) will protect you from pregnancy immediately if you put it in during the first five days of your period.
- The pill is 99% effective if taken properly. But beware, if you forget to take it, your vulnerable to pregnancy the very next day...
- The cap looks like a very large thimble and fits over the cervix. It's not just for women who have had children- in facts its 84-91% effective for women who have never given birth, whereas its 68-74% effective for women who have given birth. You may need a different size cap if you lose more than 7lbs in weight. If you regularly see the scales yo-yo and down, it's important you see a doctor or nurse to ensure it still fits.
- The UID used to be called the coil, buts it's now a small plastic and copper device that's T shaped and can easily fit into the palm of your hand- and it works for up to 5-10 years. The UID can be used as an emergency contraception and may be inserted up to 120 hours (five days) after having unprotected sex.
