What Should You Do If You've Had Unprotected Sex? What Should You Do If You've Had Unprotected Sex? 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If people have sex without condoms, they put themselves at risk for an unplanned pregnancy and/or STDs, including HIV. It’s important to note that condoms are the only form of birth control that reduce the risk of both an unplanned pregnancy and STDs. Other forms of birth control, like the Pill, the Patch or the Shot only reduce the risk of an unplanned pregnancy—not STDs. Sometimes people may make a mistake when using birth control, and it doesn’t work correctly. Or perhaps a person was sexually assaulted, and no birth control method was used. There are some things that a person can do after they have had sex and either didn’t use condoms or other birth control or the birth control method they used didn’t work. Emergency contraception (EC), which is also known as the “morning-after pill,” is a medication that can help prevent pregnancy when taken up to five days after unprotected sex. The sooner it’s taken, the better it works to prevent pregnancy. Another option to prevent pregnancy is to have a health care provider insert a form of birth control called an intrauterine device (IUD) after unprotected sex. If a person may have been exposed to HIV, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a medication that can be taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex to reduce the transmission of the STD HIV. If a young person has had unprotected sex, it is important for them to talk with a trusted adult. A trusted adult can provide support in taking a pregnancy test and/or getting tested for STDs. A person can also go to a family planning clinic to get help. It is important to make sure the clinic has actual nurses and doctors working there because some places that offer free pregnancy testing do not provide accurate information. Abstinence, or choosing to not have or delay having sex, is the most effective form of birth control. If people choose to have sex, using contraception and condoms every time they have sex is the best way to prevent an unplanned pregnancy and reduce the risk of STDs, including HIV. FAQs Can someone my age really get pregnant or get someone pregnant? There are a lot of myths out there about if, how and when someone can or can’t get pregnant. The truth is, once you start to go through puberty, it’s possible to get pregnant or get someone pregnant. That’s why it’s so important to know how pregnancy happens and how to prevent it if you or your partner are not ready. How can you avoid getting a sexually transmitted disease? The only 100-percent effective way to avoid getting an STD is to abstain from sexual touching below the waist, such as rubbing bodies without clothes, vaginal-penile sex, oral sex and anal sex. Your next best bet is to practice safer sex, such as using either a male or female (internal) condom and/or dental dam every time you have any type of sex. Once you start having sex, it’s also important to get tested regularly for STDs and to ask your partners to do the same. Related Videos Where Do Babies Come From? Condoms: How To Use Them Effectively Birth Control Basics: Condoms, The Pill & Patch Long-Acting Contraception Explained HIV: How to Protect Yourself and Others The ABCs of STDs What are STDs? #FactCheck Finding An Adult That You Can Trust Are You Ready To Have Sex? Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Close Additional Resources Sex, Etc. KidsHealth Parents Educators