QuestionHello, I'm a little worried. My husband and I had a little accident a few days after my period and I might be pregnant, I haven't missed my period yet, still have a few days left, so I'm probably worrying for nothing. But I was just wondering that if there is a chance that I might be pregnant, should I be taking a prenatal vitamin just in case? I'm worried because I really don't take excellent care of myself...I skip meals often, don't take any vitamins, and I have been smoking off and on for a couple months. If It turns out that I am pregnant that will all change of course, but I'm worried that if I am, my baby has not got all the nutrients it should have been getting because of my lifestyle. Should I be worried that this has affected it? I always wanted to make sure I was healthy and taking my prenatnal vitamins before I got pregnant so the baby would have a healthy start. I just hope I didn't mess something up!
AnswerDear Amanda,
The MOST fertile time of your cycle is the few days prior prior to, day of, and day after ovulation. If you have regular 28 day cycles, you would most likely ovulate on cycle day 15. If you had an unprotected encounter within a few days of when your period ended, this was probably too early in your cycle to be within your fertile window.
However, although the likelihood is low, it is not completely impossible for a woman to conceive at any time during her cycle, so if you were to have conceived, I will address your concerns. Obviously the ideal situation is for every woman to start her pregnancy in perfect health, but "perfect" is rarely the case. Babies have a way of overcoming some really high odds and being born just fine. The behaviors which you describe, while not the ideal, would not be irreversibly harmful to a fetus in the first few weeks of a pregnancy. Also, a good multi-vitamin is always good for women, whether pregnant or not - especially if you have a habit of skipping meals.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
Brenda
