QuestionQUESTION: hi,
I'm 27 years old.I'm married and I'm having three year old girl baby.I had my last period on 11 th july.it lasted till 18 th of july.i expected my next periods on 16 th Aug.but it never happened till now.i checked with home pregnancy test kit four times.but it showed negative.Is there any possibility of failure in test kit all the four times.i'm worried.i took contraceptive pills for about two months after my child birth.After that my husband is using Condoms.Whats your suggestion? later this month i took Emergency contraceptive pill on 11th sep for safety purpose though my husband used condoms."
ANSWER: Hello, malathi,
By the time your period was a few days late, it should have been possible to test for pregnancy, so if the tests were negative, most likely you are not pregnant. I don't know what kind of test you used, but it is my understanding that they don't give false negatives. That said, there are some things I need to tell you about. First, condoms don't work. If you are trying to avoid getting pregnant now, the safest method, and the most reliable, is to be able to tell when you are fertile, and avoiding sex at that time. You have to chart faithfully, and you cannot be using any hormones. It sounds like you aren't using any, so that shouldn't be a problem. To find out more about this, click here: http://www.fertilityuk.org/
Taking the emergency contraceptive pill is not wise. For one thing, it can cause death from blood clots or other problems with your blood system. And there are certain things that may be true of you that would make the risk greater. And taking it without knowing whether or not you "need" it is also pointless. Any contraceptive can fail if you are taking antibiotics or certain other drugs.
Whatever you do, if you learn that you have become pregnant, do not have an abortion. Abortion is dangerous and can kill you. And a company in India, Cipla, is marketing a kit. They are totally unscrupulous. The kit contains a medication that the manufacturer says should NEVER be used by a pregnant woman because it can kill her. Surgical abortions are also dangerous. If you value your life, and your husband cherishes you, don't ever consider it. And even if he doesn't, don't consider it.
Since you have a 3 year old, having another child at this point is perfectly reasonable. If you face any kind of difficulties, such as not enough money, or for whatever reason, help is available. If that happens, feel free to contact me, and I will see what I can do to help. But please take care of yourself and stay safe. I worry about you because you used that emergency contraceptive. So that's why I am telling you this.
Have a talk with your husband and see if he will be willing to cherish you no matter what happens. It is his responsibility to protect you. Feel free to write back any time.
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QUESTION: Hi,
Thank you very much for your kind and informative reply.I used hcG type of test kit for about four times(in one week intervals each time) last month as I'm afraid,i may preganant.And also my mensuration cycle is not very regular. Is it possible to chart down my fertile period effectively...What should i do next? i fear that i may have low HB counts also.
AnswerHello, malathi,
You are very welcome.
Even with an irregular period, it is possible to chart your fertility. Although a woman ovulates 14 days before her next menstrual period starts, or should start, the signs are clear. That makes it even more important to keep track, because you can't just "guess" when you might be fertile. Learn how to recognize the slippery, clear mucus that stretches like a raw egg white. You will be fertile up to three days before and after the peak of this, but you will see some fertile mucus when fertility starts. The fertile mucus is what conveys the sperm to the egg.
It doesn't sound offhand like you are pregnant, but if you want to be sure, you can test again. If you have no other symptoms of pregnancy by now, then most likely you are also not pregnant. As for your Hb, you can have that tested easily. A lot of people in India have a poor diet, and sometimes it's not because they can't afford to eat better, but because they restrict what they are willing to eat. A vegan diet will cause problems with the menstrual period, because there is no source of the fatty acids needed to make the hormones your body needs. If you are a vegan, and you can bring yourself to eat some animal products, you will be better nourished. At least try to eat eggs. You can also eat cheese, such as by mixing it with spinach and garam masala sauce, a common dish at least in parts of India. The spinach should help provide the minerals needed for healthy blood. Also, you would be allowed to eat lamb and chicken. But at least have eggs and cheese or milk.
Learn to chart your fertile periods, and make sure you don't have sex until after you are no longer fertile for the month. If you don't know where to go for instruction on how to do it, go to your nearest Catholic church. They should be able to tell you who is teaching it in your area. Good luck! Let me know if you have any more questions. Take care.
