Patient's question:
Hello doctor, I have a sister. This afternoon, she had sex with her boyfriend. Around 4 PM, she wasn't sure if he came inside her because it was her first time, so she only felt pain at the time. Her last period ended last Saturday. "Her menstrual cycle is usually only 15 days, so I don't know if this is considered a safe period? I don't know how to calculate safe periods, so I was hoping you could help me with this. Also, should she take birth control pills? What kind of birth control pills would be suitable for her, and are birth control pills harmful to her health?"Doctor's answer:
The safe period is commonly referred to as "the seven days before and the eight days after" the menstrual period, meaning the days from 7 days before to 8 days after the period are considered safe. The calculation method for the safe period is as follows: First, determine the date of the next menstrual period, then calculate the ovulation date, and finally determine the safe period. For women with a very regular menstrual cycle, it is easy to calculate the date of their next menstrual period. The ovulation date is typically 14 days before the next menstrual period, but ovulation occurring within two days before or after this date (14 ± 2) is also considered normal. The five days before and four days after the ovulation date are the fertile period. Days outside the fertile period and the menstrual period are considered the safe period. The advantage of the safe period method is that it does not require the use of any contraceptive medications, devices, or surgeries; it simply involves choosing to have sexual intercourse during the safe period. This method avoids the side effects of contraceptive medications and the concerns associated with surgery, aligning with the natural state of the human body.