Expert: Pat G - 6/11/2010

Question
QUESTION: hi. i need help for my girl friend. she had periods on 2 may. we had unprotected sex on 12 may. tough i gave her i-pill 12 hrs after sex, i feel it didn't work. because since last 5 days she was having high fever for which she also took t/t from local doctor. she also had abdominal pain, so local  doctor asked her to have an u/s abdomen done. u/s is showing pregnancy of 4 to 5 weeks. now she is feeling so week tat she cant go to doctor alone n she cant tell to her parents also....n i am 1500 kms away from her... please help me. what should i do in this situation. are abortion pills safe in high grade fever???what can b done??? please help me

ANSWER: Hello, Manoj,

It is most likely that if she took antibiotics at that time, that indeed the I-pill didn't work. It's dangerous anyway. Antibiotics tend to neutralize the hormones in these pills. From the sound of things, the I-pill worked just well enough to cause abdominal pain, but nothing else. Apparently, if the ultrasound showed that she has a pregnancy of 4 to 5 weeks, she is still pregnant.

There are a lot of reasons why you should leave things alone. First of all, those pills are dangerous any time, fever or not. They can kill a woman. For example, the woman can bleed to death. Or, she can develop an infection that can kill her within hours. Or, her uterus can rupture. Your girlfriend deserves better than to risk her life like that. If she is alone and isn't even strong enough to go to the doctor, how do you expect her to survive taking those dangerous, powerful drugs? The manufacturer of one of the drugs says a pregnant woman should NEVER take it. The information I have is that 20,000 women are dying each year from abortion in India. Don't let your girlfriend be one of them.

I just helped a young couple where the girlfriend did take the pills. She was bleeding heavily and could have died. I was terrified that she wouldn't make it. Don't make the mistake of giving your girlfriend these pills, especially in her weakened condition. Only a doctor should ever prescribe powerful drugs like that. A person should never decide to take them on her own. And an ethical doctor would never give a pregnant woman these pills in the first place, partly because the manufacturer said he should not give them to her.

You didn't say how high your girlfriend's fever was. If she needs treatment for the fever, she should get it. If she took the pills, and she then got treatment for the fever, would they even work? Who knows?

Do you have friends in the area? Can someone go and stay with her until she gets better? They can possibly wash her body in cool water, or she can sit in cool water, and bring down the fever. If it isn't too high, she will get better more quickly if the fever is allowed to run its course. If there are places that sell health supplements, I can make a recommendation of something that might help with whatever infection she has. A friend can get it for her. At the first opportunity, she needs to go to the doctor and find out if she has any diseases related to sexual activity. She really needs to have the source of her illness diagnosed.

In any case, there are much better alternatives to deal with the situation you are in, than having her risk her life. You really owe it to her to protect her. Please take care of her by supporting her right not to risk her life. Discourage it. If she develops a complication from the pills, there would be no one to help her, and no way she could get medical care. Complications are common. Don't take a chance with her life!

What kind of difficulties are you facing that make abortion seem desirable? I may be able to offer suggestions about these things.

What part of India do you live in? Perhaps I can provide contact information for an organization that can help meet her needs, and your needs. There aren't many in India, but there are a few, and she may be close to one, or you may be able to call one and get a contact close to her. So please let me know.

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

QUESTION: thank you very much. she lives in d far area of south India, near kanyakumari. i don't think tat there will b any help groups at her place. I am very much thankful to you for your kind help.

Answer
Hello, Manoj,

I understand that Kanyakumari is in Tamilnadu district. I don't know how close this organization is, but she can call them on the phone, and they can refer her to someone who can help. Here is the information:

The Blue Valley Trust
4/2 Main Road, Ammapatti
Coimbatore District, Tamilnadu  642 205
0091-4252-249400

Please keep in touch and let me know how she does. Take care. And you're welcome! It is a pleasure to be of help.