I am worried day and night that I am pregnant even though I am having my period

Hi. It’s Jenny at AnxietyBoss.com. Our question today is from Linda in Seymour, Texas. I am worried day and night that I am pregnant even though I’m having my period. What is going on with me?

If you’re having sex and you’re a young woman, you can get pregnant. It sounds like you’re not ready for motherhood, and you have anxiety about this even being a remote possibility. Do you use protection every single time you have intercourse, every time, and no exceptions? If not, it’s like going skydiving without a parachute just once or diving into the ocean without scuba gear just once; it may not turn out very well.

There are many myths and misconceptions about sex. Ironically, everybody does it, but not that many people know what is actually happening with their bodies before, during and after. Coitus interruptus or pulling out is highly unreliable. Do you know what you call a couple who uses this method of contraception? Mom and dad. If you are using such a highly unreliable method or inconsistently using reliable methods like condoms, then some anxiety about pregnancy could be experienced.

Another consideration is alcohol, which is probably responsible for more cases of unwanted pregnancy than any other cause. One study I read indicated that about 20 percent of college seniors among a sample of 4,000 reported ever having sober sex. When intoxicated, judgment is down and passion is up, and you may not wait to put on proper protective gear before entering a high-risk area. If you get what I mean.

Oral or implanted contraception and your partner using a condom every single time can provide reasonable protection from unwanted pregnancy, but no method is guaranteed to work 100 percent of the time. The only method that is guaranteed is abstinence.