menstrual cycle

If you're considering fertility awareness (FAM) as a birth control method, or already use it and want more information.

Reprinted from S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You Through High School and College , © 2007 Heather Corinna/Marlowe & Company. Illustration by Molly Crabapple. Want to print out copies for yourself? Click here to download one in PDF format. Enjoy!

I know -- boy, do I! -- that there is an awful lot of propaganda out there that condoms aren't reliable, but that really is all that it is: propaganda. There are no microscopic holes in condoms, for instance, which semen or viruses can invisible escape through. When used properly, condoms are 98%...

For a majority of people who menstruate, the time period you're talking about, a week after your menstrual period ends, is a window of the highest fertility: in other words, the time when most people who menstruate would be at their highest pregnancy risk. Thing is, with any question like this, we...

I'm sorry that you're having to go through this. Looking at the timing here, and what you're describing, it does sound like you had your menstrual period, in which case no, you cannot be pregnant. Not knowing the length of your cycles, or the date of that last period, I can't tell you when to expect...

Pre-ejaculate can contain sperm, and it's something that (especially during penetrative activities) usually goes unnoticed by both partners. The vagina is a wet environment, so you are not going to be able to feel the addition of some extra fluid. And (no matter what a partner may claim) men...

It's so tragic that anyone is afraid to ask questions about something so important, but it's an unfortunate reality for a lot of people. Just know that this isn't a place where you need to be scared to ask anything, okay? This is what we're here for! Is intercourse supposed to hurt? No, intercourse...

First off, kudos to you for being such a great cousin! Signs of when a person with a uterus is about to start their period vary greatly from person to person. Some people have tender breasts and cramps as you described, others have headaches or nausea, while others really have no pain or discomfort...

It sounds like you've got your body pretty confused here! Let's talk a little bit about how the pill works, because that may clear things up a little bit. Birth control pills are essentially doses of synthetic hormones. What this does is sort of re-order the way your body is functioning with regard...

It's not naive to be without information because no one gave it to you. As far as the ovulation cycle, I sure can! Start by having a look at this: On the Rag: A Guide to Menstruation. The way to know if you're ovulating -- or, more accurately, to be able to make your best guess -- is to start...