AboutPat G Expertise I can help women with the consideration of their decision, and with resources, and I can share my own experiences as the mother of seven and grandmother of six. My approach is to show love and concern, and help women work through the issues, emotional, spiritual, practical. I also help women deal with boyfriend and family issues.
Experience I have been working with women who are considering abortion for several years. I also work with women who have had abortions. Our family has also experienced adoption, so I can talk about that as well.
Education/Credentials I am mostly self-taught. I also studied midwifery for awhile. I have spent years doing research on this topic. In fact, I have been doing research and working in this area since the early 1970's. I have been helping women online for a few years, under the guidance of a woman who was formally training in counseling.
Expert: Pat G Date: 5/10/2008 Subject: am i still pregnant
Question hi dr.i had an abortion on the 21st april it was the abortion pills.i was 7 weeks when i had done they abortion after taking the tablets i had pains in my back like i was in labour.i passed a few very small clots but the first one was like a plum it was very light bleeding and i only bled for 4 days.since then i have been sick like morning sickness.and had realy bad sharp pains in my head that i couldnt get out of bed.the sharp pains have gone now but still get very faint pains?i have done 3 pregnancy test and they are all saying postive is there a chance i could still be pregnant ?or even had or got twins ?and would the baby or babys be ok as the tablets were very srong .the abortion was the biggest mistake of my life and i regret it so much .i had abortion as ive not long had a baby and was on the pill but got caught again some how thank you
Answer Hi, Serena,
First of all, please know that I am not a doctor.
Nobody can tell if you're pregnant over the internet, not even a doctor. For the final answer, you will have to see one. Please see one who doesn't do abortions or believe in them, because you don't want any unnecessary procedures at this point. If you don't know how to find a doctor, you can go here and look for an agency in your area, and they can refer you to a doctor.
As for pains like labor, yes, you should probably experience some kind of pain. It could be due to several things, so again, there's no way of knowing for sure, and if you passed a few small clots and had light bleeding, again, I wouldn't know the answer.
One thing that may help is to think about where you got the pills you took. Did you get them from a clinic, or did you buy them off the street? If you bought them off the street, there's a chance they're not what the seller told you they were. That's also possible if you got them at a clinic, but less likely.
In a medical abortion, a woman first takes pills (up to three, I understand) that cut off the progesterone to the baby. After a couple of days, the woman then takes another type of pill which is supposed to bring on labor. If you didn't take that second course, there is also a possibility the baby is OK. But in that case, the doctor should measure your hormones and if your progesterone is low, he should give you progesterone regularly until time for the birth.
Another possibility, since you were already 7 weeks, is that you took the pills too late for them to do "any good". In that case, they usually follow up with a surgical abortion. As long as nobody introduces an infection by doing a vaginal exam, there is always hope. But if I were you, I would INSIST on no vaginal exams. The doctor won't like it, but it IS your body, and there are other ways to tell what is going on. Also, refrain from sex or putting anything else in the vagina. If you continue to have positive pregnancy tests and no bleeding or fever, it is possible that your uterus is now closed and you won't introduce an infection.
If you had sex after the abortion, it is possible you conceived again, though it's a little soon for you to be getting that kind of positive test, but again, some tests are very sensitive.
When you go to the doctor, if he says he needs to operate, I want you to keep in mind something that happened to me. I was pregnant, and I actually had a hemorrhage. I went to the hospital, and the next morning a stranger examined me. He wanted to operate, but I refused. I went home, and discovered two days later I was still pregnant. The following month I bled a little. And then nothing. I went to a different doctor, and asked a very good friend of mine as well, who was also a doctor, and they said as long as I wasn't bleeding, I should feel safe in doing nothing. Now I didn't take anything like you did, but my point in writing this is because if you are not currently bleeding and you don't have a fever, I'd be hesitant to let the doctor operate. Although I later lost my baby, I didn't develop an infection, and did have another pregnancy immediately and successful birth afterwards. You might ask for an ultrasound, but at this point, it may or may not show anything. As long as you're not infected, you can wait and try again, but ask the doctor about it.
I am so sorry you are in this situation. I hate to see a woman regret like you are. Every woman should really ponder such a decision because it is so permanent. If it turns out that you are no longer pregnant, I will be here for you, and please do keep in touch. I can talk to you and help you get through this.
