This Could Have Happen to You.

My name is Rosaline from Accra. I lived with only my mother since my parents were no more together. The first time I encountered penetration by a boy was when I was in JHS one. I went to a party with my friends from school. My mother always told me not to allow any guy to take advantage of me and to stick together with my friends when I’m at parties.

All my friends said they wanted to have some fun with a guy and most of them said they had been with a guy. I had never been with a guy and didn’t want to. But at this party all my friends danced with guys and I went out of the party grounds with a guy who said he wanted to go somewhere quiet. I don’t know why I did that. He started touching me and I didn’t know what to do. He ended up forcing me to have sex with him. That was my first sexual encounter.

The unfortunate news is that two weeks from that incidence,   I started feeling funny which means something was wrong with me.I told my friends about it and they told me it was nothing so I shouldn't worry.

Well to cut long story short, I later realized I was pregnant. I told my friends who I was so close to. They gave me some concoction which was concealed in a used mineral water bottle. I drank it alright. I bled profusely for some time. This period was the worst time of my life. Since that time, I had experienced chronic pains in my abdomen. I am 18 now and don’t know if I would ever be able to give birth. I always cry when I am alone in my room. I wish that would have never happened but it’s too late.

I only believe that telling my story out would help prevent this situation from happening to someone else. Peer pressure is real. It happens every day without you realizing it. Take Charge of your life to secure a happy future.

WORLD CONTRACEPTION DAY

Today is world CONTRACEPTION DAY.As parts of the day's celebration we would like to share knowledge on Myths surrounding contraceptive use;

Myth : You don't need to be on birth control if you're breastfeeding. 

Fact:This very common myth is totally false and probably to blame for many unplanned pregnancies, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine.Breastfeeding exclusively(without supplementing with formula) can suppress the hormones from the pituitary gland that make you ovulate, says Minkin. So this only reduces the chances of getting pregnant.

Myth : Being on the Pill for a long time will make it harder to get pregnant later. 

Fact: FALSE. Once a woman stops taking birth control pills her fertility is restored immediately 

Myth : Using a condom seriously diminishes his pleasure. 

Fact: Both men and women enjoy sex with condoms just as much as they do without them, according to a recent study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Myth: The Emergency Contraception (EC) pill is the same thing as an abortion pill.

Fact: Emergency Contraceptive is NOT an abortion pill. The purpose of EC is to stop a pregnancy before it starts. It can be taken up to 3 days after unprotected sex. If a woman is already pregnant when she takes EC, her pregnancy will not end. Birth control is safe

Myth: Taking the pill causes weight gain.

Fact: Research shows that birth control pills don’t cause more weight gain than would happen anyway. As women get older, they often gain weight.

Myth: It's OK to keep condoms in my wallet until I need them.

Fact: Condoms can get damaged if you keep them in your wallet for too long. They may break when you try to use them. That’s because heat can ruin condoms. Change the condoms in your wallet at least once a month

Myth: It's OK to keep condoms in my wallet until I need them.

Fact: Condoms can get damaged if you keep them in your wallet for too long. They may break when you try to use them. That’s because heat can ruin condoms. Change the condoms in your wallet at least once a month

How long after having unprotected sex can the emergency pill be taken?

The emergency pill must be taken within 72 hours (three days) after unprotected sex. The sooner it is taken, the more effective it is. It is most effective if it is taken within the first 12 hours after unprotected sex.

Emergency contraceptives are not like the other contraception methods. Emergency contraception should never be the contraception that you choose to use regularly, it is not a method that you pick and say, “I think this is the one for me, I’ll take 10 please”. Emergency contraception is a back-up method for emergencies, for that one time the condom broke, or the diaphragm slipped or other genuine accidents or unforeseen circumstances. If you’re unfortunate enough to have one of these, immediately visit your healthcare provider to seek further advice. Don’t forget to get yourself tested for STIs, too. These unfortunate accidents expose you to those as well as unplanned pregnancy.