Stats on pregnancy

• Historic lows for pregnancy rates for young people in 2020 and continue to decline per Guttmacher and CDC
  • 25% due to later onset penis-vaginal sex, 75% due to more contraception*

Source- Guttmacher

• What is the chance that someone will become pregnant from penis‐vagina sex when no form of contraception is used?
  • One episode and no information about timing in menstrual cycle: 8%
  • One episode and ideally timed for ovulation: 30%
  • One year of penis‐vagina sex with no birth control: 85% (90% for teens)

The only way to absolutely prevent pregnancy is abstinence.

Pregnancy process

• Human reproduction is when a sperm and egg join together to form a fertilized egg.
  • Can occur with penis‐vagina sex, artificial insemination, or in vitro fertilization (IVF)
  • Sperm can remain active for up to 5 days. If ovulation occurs during this 5 days, fertilization can occur.
  • Pregnancy is first detectable when an embryo implants, and the hormone hCG is made by the placenta
• Pregnancy does not occur if:
  • Sperm can’t get to the ampullar portion of the tube.
  • Ovulation does not occur during the 5 days sperm is active in tubes.
  • The fertilized egg does not continue to divide into an embryo (50% of fertilized eggs)
  • The fertilized egg does not implant itself into the uterine wall

Pregnancy testing

• Pregnancy tests are assessing for hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin)
  • After an embryo implants into the uterine wall, hCG is produced by the cells around the embryo (these cells becomes the placenta).
• Urine pregnancy tests are accurate and reliable.
  • Takes at least 10‐14 days (“2 weeks”) from penis‐vagina sex to detect pregnancy.
• Definitely not pregnant if test is negative at 3 weeks from last sex.

Symptoms of early pregnancy

• It is different for every person and symptoms can come and go.
  • 50% of people have no symptoms for first 6 weeks of pregnancy.
  • 10% have no symptoms by 8 weeks.
    • Being young and having an unexpected pregnancy are factors that increase the chance that someone will not know they are pregnant until farther along.
• Chance of miscarriage: 20%‐ most often before fetal cardiac activity (week 6).
• Common symptoms:
  • Missed period
  • Fatigue
  • Breast tenderness
  • Cramping
  • More frequent urination
  • Nausea (that may get better with eating food)

Pregnancy options

Resources

International

• Action Canada- Pro-choice charitable organization committed to advancing and upholding sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada and globally. Also known as Planned Parenthood in Canada.

National

• The Bedsider– Online birth control information and support network for people aged 18‐29.
• Reproductive health access project– Provides birth control fact sheets in English, Spanish, and Hindi
• Guttmacher Institute– Research and policy organization on sexual and reproductive health
• Power to Decide– Provides trusted, high-quality, accurate information—backed by research—on sexual health and contraceptive methods so young people can make informed decisions.
• Planned Parenthood– Provides sexual and reproductive health services to all genders (including transgender).
• Healthy Children- Website that provides information to youth, young adults, and parents about teen dating and sex.

Local

• Peak Vista- Local community health center that provide sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, pregnancy, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
• El Paso County Public Health Dept.- Provides sexual and reproductive health services in their Reproductive Health Clinic to all genders. Accept Medicaid*
• Planned Parenthood- Provides sexual and reproductive health services to all genders (including transgender).
• Boulder Valley Health Center- Sexual, gender-affirming, and reproductive care available to teens and adults
• New Era Colorado- Leading voice for young people in Colorado politics and one of the most effective youth civic engagement organizations in the country. Addresses Reproductive rights in CO.