QuestionQUESTION: hello im a bit confused i think im pregant five weeks after my abortion, my abortion was oct 10 2009 i was nine weeks i bleed for two weeks. my first sexual encounter was oct 24 2009 i use protection, after that i went to my check up every was fine i tested negative for pregnacy, after that i had unprotected sex on 11 8 2009 he only came in me a little bit, its now the 14 and my breast or tingling im having cramps just like i did when i first found out i was pregnat, so im wondering am i? how soon after the abortion do u ouvulate? and im confused because i never had a period? when should i test for pregnacy? am i worrying to much its keeping me up at night and thats why my period not coming? help.
ANSWER: Dear Mina,
Thank you for your question about the possibility of being pregnant after your abortion. The best thing you can do to relieve your concerns is to take another pregnancy test. If it was negative at your check up, then it will be accurate to take another one. If you don't get your period in the next few days, you can take the pregnancy test 10 days after when you had unprotected sex - on 11/18.
There is a risk of getting pregnant during the weeks after an abortion, so you do have some reason to be concerned. However, so far it is normal not to have gotten your period. It is common and normal to have a delayed period after an abortion. Some women miss their period completely. So, a delayed period does not indicate that you are pregnant again. Cramps and breast tingling can also be normal a month after an abortion.
It sounds like you need help deciding on a better method of birth control for you. Also, in the future, if you have unprotected sex, you can take Plan B or emergency contraception. This helps avoid getting pregnant. The sooner you take it, the better it works.
There is more information on these questions on my website: http://www.earlyabortionoptions.com.
I hope this is helpful,
Doctor Joan
Early Abortion Specialist
New York City
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: yes it was very helpful so im going to wait and take the test around the time you said to and see wat happens, so i started to spot and im wondering if this is my period since im having cramps or is it implantaion bleeding? the spotting is brownish color and its not enough to wear a tampon or pad, thanks dr.joan im in need of help. yes im getting on birthcontrol asap i was wondering should i start bc and not wait for my period?
AnswerDear Mina,
Yes, brown discharge can indicate you are getting your period. This is common after an abortion. If it is your period, it should get heavier, and turn into a more obvious period. Yes, you can start on birth control right away. If you wait for the Sunday after your period to start, it will work better with your cycle. If you start now, before your period starts, you will likely have an irregular cycle while your body adjusts. This doesn't cause any problems, and is better than having another unwanted pregnancy. You would go ahead and check the pregnancy tests as we discussed.
I hope this is helpful,
Doctor Joan
