Expert: Pat G - 9/7/2009

Question
i just had an abortion September 3rd of 09 i know the doctors tell you to wait 2 weeks before you start having sex but i am interested in having a baby and keeping it this time the reason for my abortion last time was because i had no choice.
how long should it take me before I'm able to conceive can it take up to a year can you help me and tell me when i am most fertile?

Answer
Hi, NAYNAY,

Why didn't you have a choice? Did someone coerce you?

If you conceive a baby now, but the conditions that caused you to have an abortion still exist, you could end up having a second abortion. Sometimes a woman will try to have what I would call a replacement baby. Be sure and examine your reasons and make sure that you are prepared to have a child. I won't say you shouldn't, but that you should think about it. If you aren't married, it's better to wait. A baby needs two parents who are committed to each other.

One reason for waiting two weeks to have sex is because you could get an infection if you do that sooner. As for how quickly you can get pregnant, they do say you shouldn't worry unless you can't get pregnant within a year.

Please be aware that an abortion can cause damage that will interfere with a successful and healthy pregnancy. You didn't say what kind of abortion you had. But this is particularly true if you had a surgical abortion. We don't know about pill abortions yet. They haven't been used long enough. But a surgical abortion can make a woman unable to conceive. Also, during pregnancy and birth, there are several risks. First, because they scrape the surface of the uterus with a sharp knife, and cut away the placenta, there will be scarring. There are two problems that arise from that. The first is tubal pregnancy. This is when there is a scar across the opening to the Fallopian tube, but there is an opening big enough for sperm but not for the baby. It requires surgery to save the woman's life, but the baby cannot live. If you experience pain about 5-6 weeks from your last menstrual period, seek immediate medical attention, especially if the pain stops abruptly. The other problem is if the baby can't find a good place to implant and ends up implanting too close to the cervix. Labor could cause it to rip loose, which causes hemorrhage. The remedy is usually for the woman to have a Caesarian section. The other problem with birth may be prolonged labor. If this happens, the woman may also need a Caesarian section. The other danger involves damage to the cervix. When the cervix is forced open, it causes micro-tears, and these weaken it. This may mean that the cervix can't handle the weight of a full term baby, and the result is miscarriage or very premature birth. Prematurity is a leading cause of cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. The doctor should explain how to recognize early onset of labor, and he can fasten the cervix shut to prevent it from happening. Your doctor will need to know you have had an abortion.

As for how to tell when you are fertile, a woman has what is called fertile mucus for a couple of days before and after ovulation. It comes from the vagina and is transparent, slippery, and stretches like a raw egg white. Ovulation occurs 14 days before the onset of the next menstrual period (if it happens). A woman should chart faithfully, and cannot be using any hormones. You can get more information here: http://www.fertilityuk.org/

I hope everything goes well for you. Please take care of yourself.