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pinkcheese asks...
is it possible to get pregant by touching the vagina with semen
is it possible to have an abortion wihtout telling parents?
how do they do an abortion?
whats are the options?
thnk you
What we suggest...
Hi pinkcheese, thanks for contacting q2a.
The first thing we need to say is that if you are affected by any of the questions you've
asked us, do have a pregnancy test done as soon as possible to find out whether you are
pregnant or not to give yourself the most choice about what to do. Because you are over
16 years old your situation will be treated in complete confidence: your parents will not
have to know anything about this unless you choose to tell them. If you're feeling panicky
or scared that you might be pregnant, you could always confide in a trusted friend, who
can go with you when you go for a test? Doncaster's a big place and there are a lot of
clinics but you can find your nearest one by contacting:
- Sexwise, freephone 0800 28 29 30, open 7am-midnight every day. Or you can search on
their website: http://www.ruthinking.co.uk click on 'Need Help in a Hurry', then 'Help in
your area'. We also list quite a few young peoples sexual health clinics in Doncaster on the bulletin board response to spot - a couple of places under this one.
We'll now answer your questions.
Yes, it is possible to get pregnant by touching the vagina with semen. Semen contains
sperm and sperm are 'programmed' to swim up the vagina in search of an egg to fertilise,
and it only takes one of them! So, to avoid pregnancy it's important to use contraception.
This is available free and in confidence to young people, even if they are under 16 years,
old from young people's sexual health clinics, and there are also various schemes around
the country which issue free condoms.
There are lots of different sorts of contraception and the staff at the clinics can explain all
about them. Male condoms are probably the most widely available contraceptive and if
you follow the instructions they are over 98% effective. As well as being available free of
charge from clinics and other schemes, they can be bought in chemists, supermarkets,
and vending machines in pub and club toilets. They also reduce the risk of getting, and
passing on sexually transmitted infections unlike hormonal contraceptives such as the pill.
Yes, it's possible to have an abortion without your parents being told, even if a young
person is under 16 years old, as long as they can demonstrate that they understand what
it's all about. If they have a positive pregnancy test the nurse or doctor will ask a series of
questions which are called the Fraser Guidelines. They are mainly related to the provision
of contraception to under 16's but can also be applied to other treatments, including
abortion. The questions are:
- does the young person understand the professional's advice
- can the young person be persuaded to tell their parents
- is the young person likely to begin, or continue having sexual intercourse with or
without contraceptive treatment
- unless the young person receives contraceptive treatment, will their physical or
mental health, or both, be likely to suffer
- do the young person's best interests require them to receive contraceptive advice
or treatment with or without parental consent
As you are over 16 you would not be asked these questions but you would have to go
through the next step which is that two doctors must agree that an abortion is necessary
for one of the following reasons:
- having the baby would harm the woman's mental or physical health more than
having the abortion. This involves the young person explaining how she feels about the
pregnancy to a doctor.
- having the baby would harm the mental or physical health of any children she
already has.
We found the following organisation very helpful for this information:
- Brook, Young People's Information Service, freephone 0800 018 5023, open
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Website: http://www.brook.org.uk, click on 'The Facts', then
'Abortion'
Abortions are free of charge on the NHS but they can take time to arrange as any medical
personnel who have ethical/religious/cultural objections to abortion do not have to perform
them so time is needed to find a hospital or clinic with available staff. Private abortions
can be arranged more quickly and an example of the cost is £500 for medical abortion
performed under 9 weeks with BPAS (the British Pregnancy Advisory Service): £50 for the
initial consultation, £450 for the operation.
How abortions are done depends on how far on the pregnancy is; they are either medical
which means using drugs, or surgical which means using surgical instruments:
- up to 9 weeks, early medical abortion. This involves 3 visits; there's no surgery,
no anaesthetic and no stay in the clinic. Normal life should be able to be carried on
between visits. The first visit is an assessment. On the second a tablet (mifepristone) is
given to swallow which blocks the pregnancy hormone which is necessary for the
pregnancy to continue. Rarely, the abortion can happen after taking this first tablet. On
the third visit, usually 1-3days later, a prostaglandin tablet is given, either misoprostol
which can be taken by mouth, or gemeprost which is inserted into the vagina. These
tablets break down the lining of the womb, similar to what happens naturally during a
period, and the pregnancy is lost during the bleeding. There may be cramps like period
pains and pain relief is available. This usually happens 4-6 hours after taking the tablets;
patient may stay in the clinic or you may be able to go home.
- 9-20 weeks, the same drugs are used but in higher doses, and a stay in the clinic
is necessary for this procedure. Depending on how long the abortion takes patient may
be able to go home afterwards or they may have to stay in overnight.
- up to 10 weeks an alternative method which can be used is manual vacuum
aspiration. A small tube is inserted into the womb via the vagina and the pregnancy is
removed by manual suction. Pain relief is an injection of local anaesthetic into the cervix
which may be painful. Patient can usually go home the same day.
- up to 15 weeks, vacuum aspiration. This is similar to the manual method except
suction is by electric pump. Pain relief is either an injection in the cervix, or a light
general anaesthetic, or conscious sedation (patient is sleepy and won't remember much of
what happens) and can usually go home on the same day.
- over 15 weeks, surgical dilation and evacuation. This is done under a general anaesthetic. The cervix is gently stretched to allow forceps into the womb to remove the pregnancy in fragments; any other remaining tissue is removed by vacuum aspiration. Patient may be able to go home the same day if they are healthy and there are no medical complications.
- over 21 weeks. This is not common. The method is either by surgical dilation
and evacuation, or medical. Whichever method is used, the doctor will make sure that the
foetus's heart is stopped so that it is not born alive. Patient will go through something very
similar to labour to deliver the foetus. This method takes time and patient may have to
stay in, maybe even overnight.
We found the following organisation very helpful for this information:
- The Family Planning Association, helpline (local call rate) 0845 122 8690, open
Monday-Friday 9am-6pm. Website: http://www.fpa.org.uk, click on Information, pick
'Read our Information Leaflets', click on 'Abortion' under 'Pregnancy Choices'.
After reading this you'll probably realise why we said that if you are affected by the
questions you've asked us, you need to act as soon as possible. If you are pregnant and
you don't want to have the baby, the earlier you can arrange an abortion the less
physically traumatic a procedure it will probably be. If you suffer any emotional trauma
afterwards you can get support from e.g. Brook. If you are pregnant and decide to keep
the baby or have it adopted, you can start your antenatal care by going to see your GP
who will also arrange your midwife.
When you ask 'what are the options?' we take it you mean the other pregnancy options:
keeping the baby or carrying on with the pregnancy and putting the baby up for adoption.
We can't give you comprehensive answers to these because a lot of the things to consider
aren't about hard, factual, information such as telling you about how abortions are carried
out, it's more about emotions and attitudes. But we can list some things to think about,
and where to go for more information:
- Being ready, emotionally, to be a parent and be responsible for another person
24/7
- feelings about being pregnant e.g. glad, sad, angry
- support from family, friends, the baby's father
- the effect of having a baby on future plans e.g. education, career, travel etc
- the effect of having a baby on social life
- feelings about abortion - for or against
- feelings about giving a baby away
For more information about choosing pregnancy options, and being a parent here's where:
- Brook Young People's Information Service, details as above
- The Family Planning Association, details as above. Website: click on
Information, pick 'Read our Information Leaflets', click on 'Pregnant and don't know what
to do?' under 'Pregnancy Choices'
- Gingerbread, lone parent helpline, freephone 0800 018 5026, open Monday-Friday
9am-5pm, Wednesday 9am-8pm. Website: http://www.gingerbread.org.uk, click on
'Free Factsheets'
Some other websites:
http://www.raisingkids.co.uk
http://www.parentlineplus.org.uk, click on 'Your Child',
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/
It's important that a young person in this situation has the time to make their own
decision, one that is right for them. Other people (family members, friends, the baby's
father, even some organisations) will have their opinions about what they should or should
not do. But hearing other people's opinions can be helpful to a young person in making up
their own mind.
We hope you find what we've said in our reply helpful, and if you are in this situation you
feel a bit more reassured. Please email us again if you think we can help further, about
this or anything else.
Best wishes
q2a.
Expert advice and every precaution has been taken to ensure that the information on this page is trustworthy and reliable, but the publishers do not hold themselves responsible for any inaccuracy as information can go out of date very quickly. This page gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. With regard to suggested weblinks given in this reply please note that Lancashire County Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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