QuestionQUESTION: Dear Mrs Pat
Thanks for ur help and concern. I'm Hanaa again from Egypt. I'm fine ,but have more questions . Last week, I had cramps and bleeding again while the hcg hormone was going down. I went to the doctor who checked me using ultrasound. She said "this is ovulation". I was happy,but when I called my another doctor to inform him. He said "no, this is not possible. He said ovulation is not possible while the HCG is in my body,the level was 167. He said u still had ectopic and u have to take another Methortaxte injection to kill it. That was by telephone. I did not actually take any thing and kept on following the hormone. Two days ago it has become 33. But I had small brown charges. What do u think? I had Ovulation? So can I have intercourse? Can I become pregnant this month? Can pregnancy happen while HCG is still in the body? Does Methotraxte cause defects in the baby?
Best Regards
ANSWER: Hello, Hanaa,
It's good to "see" you again. You're welcome.
Doctors are way too quick to prescribe powerful medications for no good reason. I personally think you were right not to accept the injection. Your level is now quite low. Given your history, I don't find it too surprising that you had small brown discharge. I also doubt very seriously if you have any tubal pregnancy at this point. With levels that low, it doesn't sound like you are carrying a living child. It seems unlikely you did ovulate at that time. People talk about implantation bleeding (when the baby implants in the uterus), but I haven't personally experienced any bleeding at the time of ovulation, and wouldn't tend to expect it. Instead, you should be looking for fertile mucus. I don't know if I gave you this link before, but it will explain how to tell it's fertile mucus. You have to chart faithfully, and you can't be using any hormones.
I don't know that you will ovulate yet for another couple of weeks, but you might. Just to be on the safe side, I'd wait a couple of months to have intercourse when you're fertile. Let the medications you have taken clear out of your body. Methotrexate mostly cuts off nutrition to the baby. It only works during a very narrow window, though. As long as the baby isn't implanted, I doubt if it would have any effect. After ovulation, it takes a few days before implantation occurs.
Since you said you resorted to in vitro fertilization, it is unlikely, but not impossible, that you will get pregnant if you resume intercourse now. I personally cannot tell you what you can or cannot do. That's for a doctor to tell you. But I really do recommend you try to find someone to work with who is reluctant to give you drugs. You'll have to follow through with the same doctor on the implantation of your other children. And as long as you are working with him, it would be good to continue to work with him and not confuse things. Just stand firm on drugs that aren't required for the implantation. Always ask what the drug is for, and then decide.
I look forward to hearing that you are having a successful pregnancy. Take care.
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QUESTION: Dear Pat
I'm Hanaa from Egypt.I was trying to contact u,but worry sometimes makes us helpless even in writing an email.I'm in 22weeks now with my twins.I was diagnoised with compete placenta previa.I dont worry from C -section as most of the delivery in Egypt is c section.However,doctors say that my life is at risk.I dont have any bleeding or abnormal pregnancy symbtoms.My babies are normal in growth. Do u think that my placenta can move?Do u have advice for me.By the way,I'm applying for a scholarship in USA.I may come after delivery
Thanks
Hanaa
AnswerHello, Hanaa,
Good to hear from you again! I don't know why they are doing so many C sections in Egypt. That's not right.
As long as everything is normal, the babies are growing normally, and you aren't bleeding, you're not in danger from placenta previa. The placenta won't move to another part of the uterus. It is fastened and rooted right where it is. Sometimes, as a woman's uterus grows, the placenta will cover less of the cervix area, because the uterus grows faster than the placenta does. But it is firmly rooted where it is. You said it is complete placenta previa, so it seems unlikely it will move in such a way that a C section won't be necessary. The danger from complete placenta previa is that the placenta can rip loose during labor, which can cause hemorrhage. So the C section is necessary in such a case. But until labor starts, unless there is bleeding, there is no danger as far as I know. Let the doctors keep a close watch on you. You should be fine.
I hope that your plans for your future work out for you. Take care, and let me know how you are doing from time to time.
