Pregnancy signs and symptoms are different for different women. Some women might have some or all of these symptoms and not be pregnant. Or, they could have no symptoms and be pregnant. Some of these symptoms could actually be something else entirely so you may need to go to your doctor regardless.

The only way to know if you are pregnant is to have a test. You can make an appointment at Family Planning, with your local Sexual Health service or your own doctor. You can also purchase home pregnancy test from any chemist or most supermarkets. Tests are usually accurate from two weeks after sex.

Sperm only need to reach the vulva (the genital area visible outside of your vagina) in order to enter your body and cause pregnancy. Although there is only a small chance of this causing pregnancy, there is still a chance. It only takes one sperm to get pregnant.

The only way to know if you are pregnant is to have a test. You can make an appointment at Family Planning, with your local Sexual Health Service or with your own doctor. You can also purchase home pregnancy tests from any pharmacy or most supermarkets. Tests are usually accurate from two weeks after sex.

A lot of women experience changes in their cycle when they first get the injection. Your period is likely to stop altogether if you use the injection long enough but the time varies from person to person. If the bleeding is a problem, return to the doctor to discuss your concerns, possible treatment for the bleeding and check whether there may be another reason for the bleeding such as an infection. Regardless of the bleeding , you are protected from pregnancy for the 12 weeks that Depo Provera lasts.

Everybody goes through puberty in their own way, at their own pace. There is not correct order or timing for when changes happen, so there is not any right or wrong way. Puberty is a process that can start as young as 8 and still be occurring (e.g. growth spurts) into your early twenties.

Most females get their first period by the time they are 16. If you haven’t then there could be a reason for the delay and it may be worth seeing a doctor.

Puberty can be a confusing time. If you ever have any questions or issues to discuss, there are plenty of people out there who are trained to provide you with the accurate information. You could visit a Family Planning clinic, Youth Health Centre, your own doctor or Public Health nurse (who might be at your school). You could also talk to your school counselor, nurse or health teacher.

While it is possible that you are suffering from thrush, it is also possible that it is something similar and thrush treatment will not work. You will need to go to the doctor for diagnosis and correct treatment.

The only way to know for sure is to have a test and then check back for the results. There are a number of different STIs with a wide range of possible symptoms and lots of different treatments. Some STIs have no symptoms (e.g. chlamydia).  A doctor can diagnose and treat them.

It is possible, but not likely. There are hundreds of different types of warts and each type prefers a particular part of the body.

If it was the combined pill, then there is a good chance that you are protected anyway. Just take the pill you forgot as well as today’s one and you should be fine. Check the instructions you were given when you started this pill.

If you are on the Progestogen only Pill then you will not be protected from pregnancy and will need to take the Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP). This used to be called the morning after pill, but you actually have up to 72 hours to take it, though the sooner the better.

You can get the ECP from lots of places including Family Planning clinics, your doctor, Sexual Health Service or over the counter at most pharmacies.

Also remember that because you didn’t use a condom, you may be at risk of STIs so you might want to consider an STI check up as well – this is best 2-3 weeks after you had unprotected sex.

Many people want to skip their period for lots of reasons, like sports events or holidays. Research has shown this is quite safe, so it should be fine to miss the inactive pills. In fact, it means you are at less risk of pregnancy if you forget pills.

There are a wide range of contraceptive pills available and it could just be a matter of switching to a different type.

You could investigate other contraceptive options at your Family Planning Clinic, you doctor or Sexual Health Service and find out what will work best for you. In the meantime, to protect yourself from pregnancy, it's important to use a reliable method of contraception if you are going to have sexual intercourse. Condoms, when used correctly every time you have sex and used with a water-based lubricant, are very effective.

Some women’s breasts do increase in size when they start the pill. It is a possible side effect of the pill, but it will not affect everybody.

Depo Provera has a number of side effects. Spot bleeding or breakthrough bleeding, is one. You should still have the same level of protection as anyone else.

Everybody is different. Some women’s inner lips (labia minora) stick out further than their outer lips (labia majora)and this quite normal. As a woman grows to adulthood this proportion changes. Relax and learn to feel good about how you look.

Only you can decide if it is a good thing or not.

There are a few ways of removing hair. Each of these methods may involve risks such as infection of ingrown hairs. It is a good idea to speak to a beautician before you do. Check your yellow pages for one near you.

Make sure you make the decision for you, not because you feel pressured into it.

It is unlikely that there is anything wrong with you. At first, your period can be unpredictable. It can take a few years before it settles into any sort of routine. There is nothing to be concerned about.

Occasionally periods stop completely. If this happens, you should visit a Family Planning Clinic or doctor.

It will arrive as soon as your body is ready. Everybody goes through puberty in their own way, with different changes happening in different ways. Most women have their period by about age 16. If it is much later than that, you should see a doctor.

There are many possible reasons why your period has stopped. Stress is a common cause. There are also health conditions that can only be diagnosed by a doctor.

Make an appointment with a doctor so you can find out if there is a problem or not.

It was once considered to be more hygienic to have a circumcised penis, but this has been proven to be untrue. Regardless of whether you are circumcised or not, you still need to clean your penis everyday.

Circumcision is less common than it was – it is carried out for religious or cultural reasons, or medical reasons e.g. where the foreskin is too tight.

Genetic causes are the most common when most males in your family lose their hair. There is little you can do to stop this. A doctor trained in this issue can identify whether there is any other cause and whether it can be treated.

It sounds like you haven’t got the right size for you. Condoms should be used with a water-based lubricant and following the instructions on the packet. When this is done, they are a reliable method of protection against unplanned pregnancy and STIs (sexually transmissible infections).

There are many different sizes / textures /colours / flavours of condoms available. Check with your doctor or chemist, supermarket or adult store for a range of different condoms. Try out different condoms yourself until you get the right fit.

Painful intercourse (sex) can be cause by many different things. You might not be ready to have sex. If you are tense or your vagina is dry, intercourse may be painful. More foreplay may help and try using a water-based lubricant.

Another possibility is that you have an STI or an infection. Some infections cause pain during or after sex. You can visit Family Planning, a Sexual Health Service, or your own doctor for a sexual health check-up.

Surveys have shown that most females don’t orgasm from penetrative sex (intercourse) alone and that they require stimulation of their clitoris as well.

Also, some women have never experienced an orgasm. There could be many reasons for this, but if you spend time discussing this with her, you might learn how to satisfy her.

If she is not interested then nothing will convince her. Everybody has their own boundaries and it is very important to respect these. It is also important that people are not pressured/coerced into doing things they don’t want to do. This would be sexual assault and is against the law.

If you're having anal sex, use lots of lube and do not force entry as this can cause tearing.

The Fertility Awareness method (sometimes called natural family planning or the rhythm method) works if you don’t have unprotected intercourse during the most fertile time of the woman’s menstrual cycle. This form of contraception involves checking your temperature and your vaginal secretions daily. You need to learn this method from an experienced teacher and track your cycle for several months.

For this method to be effective you need advice from Natural Fertility (check in the phone book), a doctor or a nurse.

No you can’t. In order for you to get pregnant, live sperm needs to enter your vagina. A blow job involves using your mouth.

It is possible that you can get pregnant just prior to your first period. If you decide to have sex always use protection such as condoms. Using condoms with a water-based lubricant will provide protection against unplanned pregnancy and STIs.

Everybody grows at different rates. You continue to grow into your twenties. There could be a number of reasons affecting your height. This could include your genes, your diet or stage of development.

If you are still worried you could discuss this with a nurse or doctor.

Most people have difficulty asking people out at some stage in their lives, even those people who you think are really confident. The only way to find out if somebody wants to go out with you is to ask. Some people have their friends do the asking for them, some people send a note, electronic message, and/or a present and some just go up and ask. Whatever you decide to do, you’ll never know what they think or feel if you don’t ask.

It is also important to remember to respect and feel comfortable with their decision – whether they choose to go out with you or not. If they say ‘no’, remember there will be others who will say ‘yes’.

Trust is a very important part of any relationship. The fact that you have asked this question indicates that you are losing trust.

There are a number of different ways to approach this – from asking your partner directly, to spying on him/her. Any method you choose to employ has its risks.

Some publications will tell you that there is a list of signs your partner is having an affair, such as not spending as much time with you, spending money or increased personal grooming. The trouble is with these so called signs is that they could all be innocent.

Whatever you decide to do, you need to make the decision between risking what you have because of lost trust, or living with doubt. It’s a hard decision that should not be made lightly. Perhaps you could confide in a trusted friend, or talk to a counselor or community agency, e.g. Youthline.

Think of ways to spend more time together to improve your relationship. Tell your partner that your relationship doesn’t feel the same as it used to and that you want to try to get it back on track.

Is your partner aware of how you feel about this? It could be just that your partner hasn’t taken the time to get to know your friends.

Key components of a healthy relationship are honesty, communication and compromise. The honeymoon period of a relationship can be very exciting and it is common for new couples to spend most of their time together. This is fine.

Also, many relationships are such that the two people involved are each other’s best friends, and want to spend all their time together. This is fine.

Issues can arise though if your partner is stopping you from spending time with your friends. This could be a sign that he/she is trying to control you (on purpose without even knowing it). If this is the case and you want the relationship to work, you both could consider relationship counseling. Check your Yellow Pages under Social or Community services or ring Youthline (0800 376 633) for a suitable counseling service near you.

You can’t make somebody like somebody else, but a healthy relationship would involve some sort of compromise and healthy communication.

There comes a time in many relationships where one partner feels the need to have their own space and do their own thing. People do need their own space regularly or from time to time. This is a part of a healthy relationship – being able to spend time together and also time apart.

Talk about how you are feeling. It could be that your partner is unaware of this issue.

Only you can make this decision. Talk with someone you trust so that you can work it out. Maybe a trusted friend, family member or even a counselor.

Thinking or fantasising about somebody does not necessarily mean that you are attracted to them. If you are attracted to a person of the same sex as you, it doesn’t mean you are gay, lesbian or bisexual.

It can be a confusing time trying to work out your sexual orientation. It is common for many people to question this at some stage in their life. You might want to seek support for yourself from someone you trust. You could ask a friend/partner, or you could seek support from a group or agency.

No, sexual experiences with others of the same sex will not mean you are gay or cause you to be gay. You might be, but this is not how you know for sure.

Being gay is about being attracted to people of the same sex as yourself emotionally, sexually and physically.

It can be a confusing time trying to work out your sexual orientation. It is common for many people to question this at some stage in their life. You might want to seek support for yourself from someone you trust. You could ask a friend/partner, or you could seek support from a group or agency.