I have searched your archives but have not found an answer to my question, and I was wondering if maybe you could help me out. I was wondering about the effects of taking birth control pills for an extended period of time and how long one can safely take them. Any information/advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

I have recently become aware of the vaginal contraceptive film (VCF) and am wondering about its effectiveness. We are currently using condoms, but my husband is not thrilled with them. Is the VCF as effective as the condom to use by itself?

1) I've always used condoms combined with a sponge for birth control. That worked well because if anything happened with the condom, there was always a backup — it made me feel safer. Then I get to New York, I go into three drug stores, and none of them have sponges. Now what? I don't want to rely on just condoms, I don't want to take pills because the whole hormone thing is rather frightening, and a doctor said that diaphragms make you more prone to get urinary tract infections, which I get frequently. So what am I supposed to do? What's up with this total absence of sponges?

2) In exploring other forms of contraception, what is the reliability rate of the "sponge"?

1) Simply I want to know (excuse me for my english, but I'm an Italian boy) how a male can be recognized as virgin. My friends say that the frenulum broke when you do for the first time...it's true?

2) I was reading the question about male virginity recognition and got a doubt. Is it possible to detect that a man is virgin of anal sex, i mean, has ever done anal sex?

1) Hey, okay, well I french kissed this guy and I didn't use my tongue. Are girls supposed to use their tongues? If so, which way does it go??

2) I have never really frenched a guy!! I have kissed like open mouth but not french. I was reading an article the other day in a mag (embarrassing moments) and this girl forgot to swallow her spit and when they pulled away it was like a big line of spit forming from both of their mouths. I was wondering if they were inexperienced or if they just forgot to swallow. I also have another question. My friend is going out with this guy and he always clanks teeth and bites her tongue and I'm hoping I won't be like that. How can you prevent it? Thank you so much.

I love your site, Alice. It has helped me a lot. I found that no one has asked this on here from what I've seen so far. I was wondering about when you switch birth control pills. I was on Diane 35 and then I switched to Tricyclen, and I was wondering if it was safe to have sex without condoms before waiting for the second month because they are both birth control pills.

Do ribbed condoms affect the pleasures of sex?

Can a woman abort the fetus if she continues to take the pill?

I read on the Tri-cyclen website that the hormones mimic pregnancy and trick the body into thinking that I'm pregnant so that an ovum isn't released for fertilization, or in other words, no ovulation. If that's the case, why do I still menstruate? I thought that the only reason why I menstruate is to expel the unfertilized egg. Can you clarify?