Hi, and welcome to Telefem! It’s so nice to meet you! If this is your first time here, we want to tell you that you’re in a safe space, full of trust. We are here to answer all your questions and provide you with trustworthy information regarding safe abortion in Mexico. Let me introduce you to one of our articles, and if you still have questions, feel free to contact us through WhatsApp!
If you are here to prevent and avoid a pregnancy, I will tell you about the many ways to do so. Let’s start!
From Conception to Pregnancy: How It Works
For a pregnancy to occur, there must be penis-vagina penetration because let’s remember that there are sexual practices that allow us to experience sexual pleasure without the risk of pregnancy:1
Petting: This is when there are sexual caresses, kisses, hugs, massages, and touches on different parts of the body between two or more people.
Sexting: Its name derives from the words sex and texting. It consists of sending messages, photos, or videos of personal erotic and sexual content through the mobile phone via instant messaging applications, social networks, emails, or other types of communication tools. If you wish to practice it, using digital platforms that allow the content to be deleted automatically and prevent the content from compromising your identity is recommended.
It is essential to know that if someone breaks the bond of trust and discloses our photos/videos in Mexico, this is penalized with the Ley Olimpia. It is also considered a crime in some Central American countries, particularly Costa Rica and El Salvador.
Masturbation. It is okay to explore sexual pleasure through self-stimulation of internal or external pelvic sexual organs with the hands or with a sex toy. Masturbation allows us to know our eroticism: what we like and what we don’t, the basics for enjoyment. Remember that since it is a practice that is carried out individually, there are no risks of acquiring sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy.
Contraceptives Decoded: Safe & Effective Options
As we discussed above, for a pregnancy to occur, there needs to be intercourse and penetration of the penis into the vagina.
When we want to have contact with the genitals of our partners, we can use some contraceptive methods to protect ourselves. Contraceptive methods are those that prevent pregnancy, and we can divide them into hormonal, mechanical, barrier, and permanent.2
- Hormonal. They prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs each month (what is known as ovulation) and thicken the cervical mucus (mucus that is inside the vagina), preventing sperm from meeting the egg. In conclusion, if there is no egg and the sperm cannot pass, there will be no fertilization; therefore, there will be no pregnancy. In this group are contraceptive pills, patches, the ring, the subdermal implant, and the injection.
- Mechanical. They prevent pregnancies by changing the way sperm moves so that it cannot reach the egg. If the sperm does not fertilize the egg, pregnancy cannot occur. In this group are intrauterine devices (hormonal and copper), also called IUDs and SIUs.
- Barrier. As its name indicates, they generate a barrier that physically obstructs the access of sperm to the uterus; the external condom (for bodies with a penis) and the internal condom (for bodies with a vagina) are included in this group.
- Permanent. Permanent contraceptives are definitive family planning methods. They are performed through a short surgery, and the results are, as the name indicates, permanent. These include surgical sterilization, also called bilateral tubal occlusion, and vasectomy.
Which Contraceptive Wins? Pros, Cons & How to Choose
There is no ideal contraceptive method for everyone. Each person decides, according to their stage of life, situation, and/or state of health, which is the most appropriate contraceptive method for their condition. For this, it is convenient to seek the advice of a health professional.2
Besides using contraceptives, how can I avoid (or interrupt) a pregnancy?
If you had a penetrative sexual encounter without a condom or regular use of contraceptives, you can use the morning-after pill. You have 72 hours after the sexual encounter to take it; this way, you can prevent a pregnancy.
If more than 72 hours have passed since your sexual relationship, and you want to know if there is a pregnancy, you can take a urine or blood pregnancy test between 15 and 20 days after the sexual relationship.
And if you have confirmed a pregnancy and want to interrupt it, you may choose to have a safe abortion with medication or by aspiration. Abortion with medication can be performed from your home up to the 10th week of gestation with the guidance of specialists who will tell you how to take them, while the aspiration method requires you to go to a clinic or health center.
At Telefem, we direct you to specialists if you want to carry out an abortion with medication, and we answer your questions about safe abortion. Contact us!
Can Minors Get Birth Control or a Safe Abortion? Your Rights Explained
Knowing the different contraceptive methods is part of your sexual and reproductive rights. Young people and adolescents can use any contraceptive method in an informed manner.2 Health personnel should not require the presence of the mother or father to attend to the contraceptive needs of adolescent people.
According to the current legal framework in Mexico, health services must provide a safe abortion service to girls and adolescents who request it. In addition, Official Standard 047 indicates that care must be provided to prevent unplanned pregnancy in the population aged 10 to 19 years, which includes education and care to learn about pregnancy.3
Contraceptive Access Made Simple: Local and Online Resources
They are available in pharmacies, health centers, and public and private hospitals.4
They are free in health centers; prices may vary in pharmacies and private hospitals. The most expensive methods are usually the subdermal implant and the hormonal IUD since they are long-lasting (up to 5 years) and require a doctor’s placement. The most accessible methods are internal condoms, injections, and pills.
If you are a minor and want to terminate a pregnancy, at Telefem, we provide you with medical guidance to carry out an abortion procedure up to the 10th week of gestation, as long as a legal guardian of legal age signs an informed consent with you. The mentor does not necessarily have to be your father or mother; it can be a family member or a friend.
Knowing this information is necessary for the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights regardless of your age. Did you find this helpful? For more on reproductive health and safe abortion, visit our blog—get all your questions answered. See you there!
You’re Not Alone
A safe abortion should never be done in uncertainty or isolation. Staying in communication with trained professionals makes all the difference. That’s why Telefem is here — to guide and support you from start to finish.
Send us a WhatsApp today — we’re ready to help.
* This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice and applies only to Mexico’s law and context.
References:
- IPAS Centroamérica y México. Expresiones de la sexualidad de las personas adolescentes. 2021. [Internet]. [Visit October 2024]. Available at: IpasCAM2021-Tomo5-Digital.pdf (ipasmexico.org)
- IPAS Latinoamérica y el caribe. Conoce los métodos anticonceptivos más comunes. 2021. [Visit October 2024]. Available at: 1709603244290_ES_ARCHIVO_1.pdf (ipaslac.org)
- SEGOB. Diario Oficial de la Federación. NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-047-SSA2-2015. Para la atención a la salud del Grupo Etario de 10 a 19 años de edad. [Internet]. [Visit October 2024]. Available at: https://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5403545&fecha=12/08/2015#gsc.tab=0
- IPAS Centroamérica y México. 2021. Métodos anticonceptivos: de la prevención al disfrute. 2021. [Internet]. [Visit October 2024]. Available at: IpasCAM2021-Tomo10-Digital.pdf (ipasmexico.org)