Dear nekwa,

No. Drinking any amount of vinegar will not cause a miscarriage at any point of time in a pregnancy. It's definitely NOT a good idea to try to end a pregnancy by taking any household preparations or drugs unsupervised.

No other preparations should be used to attempt causing a miscarriage. Most will not work, and none will work safely. Trying to cause a miscarriage without the guidance of a physician may cause serious damage to a woman's body and health — many women die from such attempts every day worldwide.

A woman who is concerned about unintended pregnancy may want to consider emergency contraception (EC). Emergency contraception can reduce the risk of pregnancy if started within 120 hours of unprotected vaginal intercourse. The sooner EC is taken, the better. If started within 72 hours, it can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 75 to 89 percent.

If you have had unprotected sex within the last 120 hours (five days), and need an appointment to receive EC, please call 1-800-230-PLAN for a Planned Parenthood center nearest you. Planned Parenthood can also give you information on testing for sexually transmitted infections.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.