Dear Dr. Patti:

The other night I had sex with my boyfriend and we sort of got carried away. I didn't have time to put my diaphragm inside me. He pulled out in time, but afterwards I used contraceptive foam. And I prayed a lot. Now I'm scared that I may have taken a stupid chance and gotten pregnant. How good are my chances that I'm OK?

L

Dear L,

You already have a good method of birth control in the diaphragm---IF YOU USE IT!! As for this sexual experience, chances are that you are fine. First of all you probably know by now that becoming pregnant depends on a lot of things. Examples include: where in your menstrual cycle you are, the health of his sperm and your eggs, the PH factor in your vagina, and maybe even the phases of Jupiter's moons! Whether or not pre-ejaculatory fluid (pre-cum) gets into your vagina, which has the most viable sperm for conception and can also contain the HIV virus, also has a bearing on impregnation. So withdrawal at male climax is NOT a sure-fire trick for avoiding contact with live sperm.

If you are ovulating, around the middle of your cycle, then the chances are greater for a pregnancy to occur. That is a good reason to track your menstrual pattern on a calendar each month, so that you always know where you are in your cycle and can plan for sex accordingly. Some women or couples decide to be sexually abstinent on the "fertile"; days during ovulation, to keep it safe. I suggest for you to get your hands on the book considered by many to be the "bible"; of female sexual self-help, (The New) Our Bodies, Ourselves.

As for the diaphragm, next time you can put it inside your vagina, with spermicidal jelly or cream, up to two hours before sexual intercourse. If you and your stud kiss a lot and get into heavy petting past the 11 o'clock news, then put it in before things get too hot and steamy. That way, you both are saved from stopping yourselves during passion and risking pregnancy. And, as you should know, never douche after sex while wearing a diaphragm, and keep it inside you for at least six hours before removal. The contraceptive foam was a good strategy, as it does have an effect on killing off those eager swimmers and sometimes is enough. Its known efficacy alone is only about 80% and used along with condoms raises its success rate to almost 95%. Only time will tell if you got yourself pregnant. If your period is late next time, do a home pregnancy test or call your gynecologist. Then you will have to do all of the self-analysis and decision-making that comes along with an unplanned pregnancy result.