Can You Get Pregnant in a Pool?

My daughter thought this question belonged on What's Wrong Around Us?. But, in addition to this being the place where I answer odd questions that pop up in my stats, this one actually landed to this blog.

Naturally, I have to begin by saying, "Well, that depends on what you mean by that."

(Does it seem like I say that on this blog a lot?)

If you're talking about that old myth/fear/excuse about random sperm floating around in a public swimming pool and impregnating innocent and usually virginal swimmers, that would be a firm "no".

If, on the other hand, you're hoping that something about the water or chlorine or other chemicals is going to act as birth control if you have sex in a swimming pool, that's ALSO a big old "no".

I Don't Like Birth Control What's My Other Alternatives?

Taking your question literally, you really only have two choices: you can refrain from having sex, or you can have children. Of course, you may be sterile, or beyond childbearing years, or just extraordinarily lucky, but for the most part, those are the options.

That's so obvious, though, that I have to suspect that you don't really mean exactly what you wrote. I'm going to go out on a limb a little and assume that what you meant was that you don't like birth control pills, or hormonal birth control. That's a wise sentiment. Hormonal birth control is safer than it used to be, which unfortunately leads many people to believe that it's safer that it is and to overlook the potentially serious side effects of birth control pills and other hormonal birth control.

So, assuming that what you're looking for is actually an alternative form of birth control, there is a lot of information about various forms of birth control available on the web.

However, each has its own downsides. Some forms of contraception are less effective than others, and none are foolproof. Some carry risks of infection, some require fitting (or even insertion) by a medical professional. Some are just plain messy and/or inconvenient.

Therefore, the best answer to this question (aside from the prospect of a charming baby, of course--I'm pretty crazy about mine) is to talk to your doctor about the birth control options available to you and the pros, cons, and risks associated with each type of contraceptive.

Unless, of course, you're in middle school (or the parent of a middleschooler). Then, read this: Birth Control for Middle Schoolers? I Think We're Missing the Point


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Is It Bad to Stop Taking Birth Control in the Middle?

That depends.

In the middle of what?



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