Pregnancy can only occur in a few days following ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). Ovulation usually takes place at some point between the woman’s periods.
Additionally sperm can survive inside the body for about 5 days while they wait for an egg to be released and the egg takes a few days to travel to the uterus so a woman has high chances of becoming pregnant if she has unprotected sexual intercourse 5 days before ovulation through 3 days after ovulation.
Unfortunately, women have no definite way of knowing exactly when they are ovulating and for a most women ovulation can vary from month to month. Many young girls have irregular periods. There is truly no “safe “day to have unprotected sexual intercourse and guarantee that a woman would not get pregnant.
There are plenty of women out there who have conceived when they thought they were “safe”. Therefore it is best not to assume that there are “safe” days if you don’t want to get pregnant.

The menstrual cycle is the process by which eggs are released from a woman’s ovary, ready to be fertilized by the sperm. The bleeding is only part of the menstrual cycle.

The menstrual cycle starts on the very first day of the bleeding. It continues up to the first day of the next period. The average length of the menstrual cycle is 28 days with some women having longer or shorter cycles.

In the first half of the cycle, levels of the “female hormone” (estrogen) start to rise and make the lining of the uterus (womb) grow and thicken. At the same time, some of the eggs start to ripen, though usually only one matures ready for fertilization.. Approximately 14 days from the start of the bleeding, one egg matures and is released from the follicle on the surface of the ovary and then into a fallopian tube. This is called ovulation.
After the egg has left the ovary it travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus. Hormone levels rise and help prepare the uterine lining for pregnancy.

If the egg is fertilized by a man’s sperm cell and attaches to the uterine wall, the woman becomes pregnant.
If the egg is not fertilized, it will break apart. If pregnancy does not occur, hormone levels drop, and the thickened lining of the uterus is shed off as a combination of blood, tissue and mucus. This is called menstruation or menstrual period. This starts the bleeding that  comes from woman’s vagina. Periods can be light, moderate, or heavy, and the length of the period also varies. While most periods last from three to five days, anywhere from two to seven days is normal.

The World Starts With Me (WSWM) program is a sexuality education program implemented by SchoolNet Uganda (http://www.schoolnetuganda.sc.ug )  and funded by the World Population Foundation (http://www.wpf.org ). The WSWM program started in Uganda with three schools in 2003 and the number of schools participating in the WSWM has been increasing. This year 2009, there are 150 schools across the country participating in The World Starts With Me (WSWM) program.

The schools  participating in the WSWM, this year 2009 are:

 Mvara Secondary School, St. Mary’s Girls Secondary School Ediofe, St. Joseph ’s College Ombachi, Muni Girls school, Arua Public Girls SS, Arua Town College Girls SS, Amuria Secondary School , Pope Paul VI Anaka, St. Mary’s College Lacor, Bukooli College ,Banda Secondary School, Bweranyangi Secondary School, Kyeizoba Girls Sec School, Bugongi Girls SSS, Nganwa High School, Masheruka Girls SS, Busia SS, Dabani Girls school, Lumino High School, Buhobe Secondary School, Awere SS , Gulu, Gulu Central High School, Gulu High School, Pope Paul II, Gulu, Sacred Heart Secondary School, Sir Samuel Baker Secondary School, St. Joseph’s Layibi, Gulu, Alliance High School, Trinity College Gulu, Gulu College, Bwikya Secondary School ,Duhaga SS, Kitara Secondary School, St. Andrea Kaahwa, Iganga Girls SS, St. John Buwaya Secondary School, Jinja SS, Kiira College Butiki, MM College Wairaka, PMM Girls School, Wanyange Girl’s Secondary School, Muguluka Pilkington College, Kakira Secondary School, Nakanyonyi Girls SS, Busedde College, St John SS Ikumba, St. Thomas SS, Kashati, Sselwanga Lwanga SSS, Bishop Dunstan Nsubuga Memorial  SS, Aggrey Memorial SS, Entebbe SS, Kyambogo College, Mbogo High School, St Joseph’s School Nsambya, St Peter’s Nsambya, Lubiri Secondary School, Airforce Secondary School, Nabisunsa Girls School, Angel High School, Namirembe Hillside High School, Emma High School, Muyenga High School, Trinity High School (Kawempe), Mt. RWENZORI Girls SS, Bwera SS, Karambi SS, USUK Secondary School, St Joseph’s Naggalama, Bukomero Secondary School, High Standard Christian SS, Kateera, Y.Y. Okoth Memorial College, Kitgum Comprehensive, Kotido SS, Ngora Girls’ Secondary School, Ngora High School, Teso college Aloet, Almond College, Lira, Comboni College, Dr. Obote College, Lango College, Lira Town College, St. Mary Magdalene Sec School, St. Katherine Girls, Bishop Tarantino College, Fatima Aloi Comprehensive Girls SS, Rachele Comprehensive SS, Lira, Central Secondary School, Aloi Secondary School, Luwero SS, Naalinya Lwantale SS, Ndejje SS, Ndejje High School, St. Henry’s College Kitovu, St. Herman SS, Kalisizo, Holy Family Kyamuliibwa SS, Kako Secondary School, Excel Boarding Secondary School, Masindi Academy, Masindi Army Secondary School, Kabalega Secondary School, Army Day SS, Masindi Secondary School, Mbale SS, Tubur SS, Nabumali High School, Mbarara Army Boarding Sec Sch, Nadunget Secondary School, Moroto High School, Moroto Parents Academy, Bulo Parents SS, Kasaka Secondary School, Kibibi SS, St. Maria Goretti SSS Katende, Lukalu SS, Gombe Community Polytechnic, Kibibi Standard School, Bishop’s Senior School Mukono, Hilltop Nkokonjeru, Namilyango College, Nyenga Secondary School, St Peter’s Nkokonjeru, Stella Maris Nsuube, 3 R’s Secondary School, St. Lwanga Vocational and SSS, St. Balikuddembe SSS, Kisoga, Springfield College (Nakifuma), Lweru Secondary School, Buwule Memorial SS, Mutunyera High School, Namapo Secondary School, Olio Polytechnic, Soroti Secondary School, St. Steven Secondary School, St Peter’s College Tororo, Tororo Girls School, Majansi High School, Rock High School, Buwaga Secondary School, Aidan College, Gayaza High School, Alliance High School Nansana, St. James High School Nansana, Trinity College Nabbingo, St. Bernadette SS , Kyengera, Nkoowe High School, Kireka High School, St. Elizabeth SS, Nkoowe, St. Kizito High School, Kings College Budo, Yumbe Secondary School and Aringa Secondary School

Menstruation happens after the unfertilized egg dies and if indeed this egg is dead, then you may not make the girl pregnant.  However, if this egg is not yet dead, a boy may get the girl pregnant and more so if it is an adolescent or teenager, most of whom whose cycles is not steady. Let us not forget that it is also hard to gauge how or what time exactly menstruation is really expected to start.

Yes. It is possible for a girl to get pregnant even when the boy withdraws his penis before ejaculation. The “pre-come” (the lubricating fluid that leaks out of a boy’s penis before and during sex) contains sperm. If this fluid gets in or around a girl’s vagina, it can find its way inside and she can become pregnant. Girls should never be fooled that withdraw during unprotected sex is a protection against unwanted pregnancy or STIs.

Simply put, sexuality is your physical, emotional and social self. Your sexuality affects how you think of yourself and how you relate to others as well as how others relate to you and is part of you throughout your entire life.

As a young person, you need information and skills to be able to take responsibility for your sexuality and to avoid risky behavior that could lead to unwanted pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS.

You need to learn about:

•  How your body, mind and feeling are changing as you enter and go through adolescence including good hygiene.
• The reproductive system, menstruation and how pregnancy occurs.
• How to communicate to others about sexuality.
• How to handle societal and peer pressures.
• Your rights and how to protect them.

And many more.

The World Starts With Me (WSWM) is a comprehensive sexuality education program which will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need as a young person.