Expert: Pat G - 7/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: i had and abortion on June 18,2009 and had sex on June 28,2009 but i had used a condom. is it possible I'm pregnant? but i just had a check up with my doctor on the second of July and he did a blood test and he had just called me and said that it is positive but very low. why is it that it still says positive after 2 weeks of my abortion? could i be pregnant again or what?

ANSWER: Hello, nae,

First, I need to tell you condoms don't work. Maybe a woman's odds from one use are pretty good, but people rarely use condoms just once.

Also, you didn't tell me what kind of abortion you had or how far along you were.

That said, it is entirely possible that you still have hormones left over from your pregnancy. Really, the only way you are going to know for sure is wait and see. If you had sex on June 28 and tested on July 2, it's possible even the most sensitive test wouldn't pick up on a new pregnancy.

A home pregnancy test will work three to four weeks after intercourse.

The other thing we don't know is if you ovulated ten days after your abortion.

You're not due to have a period yet according to my reckoning. It hasn't even been three weeks.

For future reference, a woman ovulates 14 days before her period is due to start. A woman can learn to tell when she's fertile. She must chart faithfully, and she can't be using hormones. To learn more, go here:

http://fertilityuk.org/

Let me know what happens. Take care of yourself!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: well it was i a vacuum one or what not i was only 6 weeks and 5 days. please let me know what you think? well i had a blood test done and have to take another one tomorrow and i am so scared. he abortion was the one that invades uterus and kill the child by instruments

Answer
Hi, nae,

OK, you had a surgical abortion. It's likely you still have some pregnancy hormones left over. I wish I knew what to tell you about being scared. If you don't want to deal with another possible abortion, you should stop taking risks. Sex is for making babies. Have a talk with your partner about the kind of risks you are taking. You deserve better. He owes it to you to help protect you from the consequences, rather than taking advantage of you. We can hope that you aren't pregnant again, but I think that you should seriously rethink the situation because if you continue as you have been, you will face the same situation again. You'll have to take one day at a time. If it turns out you are pregnant again, please don't have another abortion. Abortions are dangerous and can kill you or seriously disable you. They also make a woman much more prone to breast cancer, and they can harm her future children.

If you are pregnant again, and you need help so you can carry the baby, let me know. I have resources. But please protect and take care of yourself. Let me know what you find out.