Preventing Unplanned Pregnancy and Completing College
Lesson Three: Make a Plan and Take Action

Make a Plan and Take Action

Lesson Three helps you -- no matter your sex -- select a birth control method, find out where to get it, learn strategies for discussing sex and birth control with your partner(s), and make an action plan to prevent unplanned pregnancy.

Lesson Three Objectives

At the completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

Identify the birth control method or methods that are right for you,

Identify how you can obtain various types of birth control,

Find healthcare providers and resources near you,

Talk to your healthcare provider and your sexual partner(s) about birth control,

Create an "action plan" to prevent unplanned pregnancy, and

Find additional resources.

Click on the "Next Page" link below or the "Next" arrow in the navigation bar above.

Before You Get Started

Here are some things to keep in mind before you begin:

The lesson is organized around a series of websites. Print (or save) the Lesson Three Study Guide on the right and use it as you work through the lesson.
You'll also be completing an Action Plan Form at the end of the lesson. You'll need the information you gathered on the Lesson Three Study Guide to help you complete your Action Plan Form.
You should download, save, and/or print a copy of both the Study Guide and the Action Plan now.
This lesson should take you about 30 to 40 minutes to complete. It is best if you can complete it in one sitting. If you must stop before you finish the entire lesson, just note the page you are on, so when you return to the lesson, you can pick up where you left off.
Throughout the lesson there are short self-check activities such as drag and drop games, flash cards, and matching questions. These are designed to be fun and to help you learn the material; they are not graded.
IMPORTANT: At the end of the lesson you will fill out your Action Plan. You will also take a short quiz, the results of which you will print out and hand in to your instructor for credit or a grade.

Technical Information

It's a good idea to have the latest versions of Flash and QuickTime on your computer. If you have trouble viewing any of the pages in the lesson:

a. Flash: Flash version 10.3 or higher needed.

1. Check your version of Flash.

2. Install the latest version of Flash.

b. QuickTime: Version 7.7 or higher needed.

Download and install the latest version of QuickTime. Note: Once you have downloaded QuickTime, you must install it. Start the install process by clicking "Run." Detailed instructions for installing are at the bottom of the QuickTime download page.

2. Also be sure pop-up blockers are disabled in your browser.

How Can You Get Various Types of Birth Control?

Over-the-counter methods

Some methods of birth control require you to see a healthcare provider, while others you can buy over-the-counter.

First, let's explore the methods you can buy over-the-counter.

If you haven't already done so, print (or save a copy of) the Lesson Three Study Guide on the right.
Visit the Bedsider feature article "Getting Birth Control Over-the-Counter" to see a summary of what methods you can buy over-the-counter.
Use the Lesson Three Study Guide to record which methods can be purchased over-the-counter. You'll need this information at the end of the lesson to complete your Action Plan Form.

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Photograph of various over-the-counter birth control methods. Click on the image to go to the Bedsider article about over-the-counter methods.

Getting Birth Control Over-the-Counter

How Can You Get Various Types of Birth Control?

Methods that require you to see a healthcare provider

Next, let's learn which methods you need to see a healthcare provider to obtain.

Use MTV's "Birth Control Methods" tool below.
Click on "compare side by side," and then on "How to Get It," to determine which methods require a healthcare provider.
Write this information on the Lesson Three Study Guide. You'll need this information at the end of the lesson to complete your Action Plan Form.

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Its Your Sex Life

Used with permission from MTV.

How Can You Get Various Types of Birth Control?

Self-check: Categorize the birth control methods based on how you get them

Identify the Birth Control Method That's Right for You

Visit the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals' "Method Match" page if you still need help you decide which birth control method(s) might be right for you or would like to receive information about birth control from another source.

Write down the birth control method or methods that are right for you on the Lesson Three Study Guide. You may want to refer to your completed Lesson Two Study Guide.

Learn More About Your Preferred Method of Birth Control

Now that you've narrowed down your choices to just one or two methods, go to the "Bedsider Real Stories" website and listen to real people talk about using the method you've chosen. Be sure to select the method you are interested in by clicking on the appropriate symbol at the top of the window; see it circled in the image below.

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Photograph of the Bedsider Real Stories web page. Click on the photograph to go to the page. The photograph shows one young woman talking about her birth control method.

How to Talk to Your Partner/Potential Partner About Birth Control

Below are several websites that have videos or articles with suggestions for talking to your sexual partner about birth control. If you don't currently have a partner, this could be helpful for a future relationship or for a friend or relative.

As you read the articles, use the Lesson Three Study Guide to record questions or comments you want to discuss with your partner or a potential partner. (You'll need this information at the end of the lesson to complete your Action Plan Form.)

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Read these short articles at About.com:

"How to talk to your partner about birth control and sex"

"How to respond to men's excuses for not wanting to wear a condom"

Empty conversation balloon

Find Birth Control Near You

Get birth control from your campus health center

The closest place to get birth control might be right on your campus! If your college has a health center or clinic, this is a great place to start because they may offer birth control at a discount to students.

Your instructor may have already provided you with information about health resources on campus. If not, it may be helpful to check the college website or student handbook, or call the college's main number to find out what's available.

If your college has a health center, here is a checklist of questions that will be helpful to ask.

If there is a health center:

What methods of birth control do they provide?
Do I need health insurance to be seen by the clinic?
What are the eligibility requirements to be seen by the health clinic?
What are the costs?
If the health center does not offer the full range of birth control methods, to where do they refer students?

If there is not a health center:

Is there a wellness center or other service on campus that provides free condoms and/or information about community resources?
Is there a clinic near your campus that you can visit? If you're not sure, the next page has a tool to locate healthcare providers and birth control.

Find Birth Control Near You

Find a healthcare provider and emergency contraception

If there isn't a health center on campus, you can use the zip code search features on Bedsider to find healthcare providers and places where you can obtain emergency contraception in your area.

Click on the image below to go to Bedsider's "Where to get it" page.

Enter your zip code in the "from a health center" search box.

Write the search results -- the name, phone number, website address, and location of at least one healthcare provider you would consider visiting -- on your Lesson Three Study Guide.

Enter your zip code in the "emergency contraception" search box. This will likely be a place where you can also obtain other over-the-counter methods of birth control and/or fill your prescription.

Write the search results on the Lesson Three Study Guide.

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Photograph of the Bedsider Where to Get It page, which has links for searching for a health center, over-the-counter birth control methods, and emergency contraception near you. Click on image to go to the web page.

Disponible en español.

Are You Eligible for Free or Low Cost Birth Control?

Click on the image below to use the Bedsider "Free Birth Control" tool to find out.

If you're eligible for free or low cost birth control, write information about how and where to obtain it on the Lesson Three Study Guide.

Note: If you have health insurance you may not be eligible for free or low-cost birth control, but you still may not need to pay full price. Call your insurance provider to try to determine your out-of-pocket cost of the method(s) you've selected.

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Photograph of Bedsider Where To Get It - Save money on your birth control web page where you can see if you are eligible for free birth control. Click on the photograph to go to the page.

Disponible en español.

How to Talk to Your Doctor About Birth Control

Below you will find links to two articles about talking to your doctor about birth control.

Visit each website. As you visit each site and read the articles, use the Lesson Three Study Guide to record questions or comments you want to discuss with your doctor. (You'll need this information at the end of the lesson to complete your Action Plan Form.)

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Image of a conversation balloon that says How to Talk to Your Doctor.

Bedsider.org: "How to Talk Doctor"

About.com: "What to Ask the Doctor: How to Talk to Your Doctor About Birth Control"

Self-Check

Click on the two Question links to see the self-check questions. Don't forget to click on "check answer" to check your answers for each question.

What Will You Do Now?

Create an action plan

Image that says Action Plan.

Use the Action Plan Form by clicking on the icon above to create your plan to prevent unplanned pregnancy.

Refer to the notes you made on your Lesson Three Study Guide to help you complete the plan.

Remember to Use Birth Control

Bedsider Reminders App

Life can get busy. Or maybe you just have a lot on your mind. There are many reasons why you might want help remembering birth control. If you use the pill, patch, ring, or shot, the Bedsider Reminders App will help you stay on top of your method.

This app is easy to use, has lots of features and options for customization, and you'll get Bedsider's entertaining content along with every reminder. Download it in the App Store for the iPhone or in Google Play for Android phones.

(A new browser window/tab will open. Just close the window/tab to return to this page.)

Photograph of Bedsider Reminders App page that says - Remembering to take your birth control just got a lot more awesome. - Includes photos for App Store and Google Play. Click on the image to go to the page.

Disponible en españo

What You Need, When You Need It

Stay current with social networking

These websites have social networking pages you can follow and/or a YouTube channel you can subscribe to.

Take a few minutes to go to the websites you might be interested in and follow or subscribe to them.

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy

Bedsider

San Francisco Sex Information and Hotline

It's Your Sex Life

Healthy Relationships

For more about healthy relationships, go to University of Wisconsin Relationship Education - UWiRE for College Students

Have a question?

MTV's "It's Your Sex Life" lists resources that provide help with various topics (sex, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, domestic abuse, and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transsexual issues), some of which have 24-hour hotlines so you can talk to a live person. You can also call the San Francisco Sex Information and Hotline at (877) 401-1799 to speak with a volunteer.

Lesson Three Complete

You have reached the end of Lesson Three: Make a Plan and Take Action.

If you completed this lesson for course credit, check your course syllabus or consult your instructor to find out if you are required to submit an assignment and/or take a short quiz.