QuestionQUESTION: I started my period on Sept. 9 at that time I also started birth control. I miss a pill here and there and then stopped taking my pills on the 20th of Sept because I had missed too many to keep taking them. I had intercourse on the 16, 23 and 24 of Sept. I started bleeding again on the 25th of Sept. it was on and off until October 1. I had intercourse again on the 5th of October. When should I expect my period for October or could I be pregnant?
ANSWER: Dear Mandi,
If you had missed a number of pills and/or were not taking the BCP consistently throughout the cycle and the sexual encounters were otherwise unprotected, then you cannot dismiss the possibility of pregnancy. Because you were inconsistent in taking the BCPs it is hard to say when/if you actually ovulated during that cycle due to all of the hormone fluctuations. Under normal circumstances, you would have been expected to ovulate around 9/23. If ovulation did occur then, you definitely were susceptible to pregnancy from the 9/23 and 9/24 encounters.
You may or may not have a regular period when you would normally expect it around 10/7. Since you had essentially a full week of mid-cycle bleeding, the period may not come as expected OR it may be lighter than expected.
Regardless, since you were vulnerable to pregnancy if the sexual encounters were unprotected, you should test for pregnancy after the week that you would expect a period (approximately 10/14). Make sure when you test that you use 1st morning urine to get a concentrated sample for the most accurate results.
If taking the BCP is not right for you, you might want to discuss other birth control options with your doctor that don't involve daily pill-taking. :-) Otherwise, you will need to try to associate taking your BCP with an activity you do about the same time every day - brushing your teeth in the morning, making coffee, set an alarm on your phone, whatever you need to do to remember so that you won't end up worrying about a potential pregnancy every month. Plus, it can really mess up your cycles if they are not taken correctly.
I hope this information has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
Brenda
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QUESTION: As previously stated I was concerned on when I would start my period or if I was pregnant. Well it is the 16th of October and I have still not started my period. I took a preg. test the morning of october 14th, it read negative. I sometimes feel like I could be pregnant, certain smells make me wanna puke, nausea, bloating. Could a blood test determine if I was pregnant say if I had intercourse on the 5th and 8th of october? I go to the doctor on the 18 of Oct. so I may ask for a blood test if preg. test still comes back negative.
ANSWER: Dear Mandi,
A quantitative blood pregnancy test (serum beta hCG) would be the most definitive blood test for pregnancy. It will give an actual amount of hCG in your bloodstream rather than just the positive/negative result that you get with a urine or qualitative blood test. And the serum beta hCG can typically get a positive result (25 mIU/ml or more) about 8 days after you ovulate/conceive a pregnancy.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
Brenda
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QUESTION: Okay I hope this will be the last question/comment I have for you :). It is now the 24th of October technically soon to be the 25th in about 20 mins :) however I still have not had a period and urine test still say negative. Should I keep waiting for my period or should I request a blood test? also I just wanted to mention that back in Feb. I was pregnant and did not show up on any urine test but did show up on a blood test that I was pregnant. I ended up having a miscarriage a few days after blood test confirmation (first one ever after 3 healthy births already)I do not "feel" as though I am going to have a period. I have not ever missed a period or just not had one from messing up birth control pills before. What are your thoughts? Thank you soooo much for taking the time to help me.
AnswerDear Mandi,
Since you are now approximately 19 days late for your period this cycle and you have a previous history of negative urine testing with a positive blood test for pregnancy, I would suggest that you go ahead and confirm or rule out a pregnancy with a quantitative blood pregnancy test (serum beta hCG). If you don't have the extra funds or insurance coverage, you can wait and see what happens with this next cycle in case you simply skipped a month.
There are many various causes for amenorrhea (absence of periods) - pregnancy being just one. Others can be:
-Hormonal abnormalities, which cause fluctuating levels of the hormones needed to support menstruation
-Emotional or physical stress / Depression
-Rapid weight loss or gain
-Change in diet
-Low body weight
-Obesity
-Frequent or strenuous exercise
-Cysts or tumors in the ovaries
-Thyroid or Pituitary dysfunction
-Certain medications or drug use
-Menopause OR Premature ovarian failure (menopause before age 40)
-Occasionally stopping birth control pills
The general recommendation is that if you miss three consecutive periods and pregnancy is not the reason, you should see your doctor so that a cause can be determined. At that time your doctor would do a quantitative blood pregnancy test (serum beta hCG) to make sure that pregnancy is ruled out as an option.
I hope this has helped you. Be well.
Brenda
