Expert: Pat G - 9/15/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi there ,I had a D&C PERFORMED 15 DAYS AGO ,I HAD UNPROTECTED SEX 10 DAYS AFTER AND AGAIN LAST NIGHT 14 DAYS AFTER CAN I GET PREGNANT SO SOON? IF SO HOW SAFE IS IT. THANKS.
MILY

ANSWER: Hello, mily,

It is unlikely you could get pregnant again so soon, but not impossible. However, you can get an infection. The surface of your uterus is raw and open to your bloodstream, so the infection would have direct access to your bloodstream. If you don't want to have another abortion, and you are not married, you should stop having sex. Sex is for making babies. It doesn't matter whether you use "protection" or not, because in the long run, protection doesn't work. But I don't understand why you would be having sex if you are worried about safety. Abortion is dangerous and can kill you, and you have put yourself at risk for your future children to be harmed. You will be more prone to miscarriage, tubal pregnancy, complications at birth, breast cancer, sexually transmitted disease from the abortion itself (because few abortionists sterilize their instruments properly, if at all), and very early birth. Very early birth is a leading cause of cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, epilepsy, blindness, and deafness. You have also put yourself at greater risk for auto-immune disease such as lupus, rheumatoid arthristis, multiple sclerosis, and others. You should have yourself tested for sexually transmitted disease and other infections.

In the future, when you become pregnant, please tell your doctor so he can take some preventative measures to help protect you and your baby from miscarriage and very early birth. Please don't ever have another abortion. Abortion ALWAYS harms a woman's body, and sooner or later, she finds out what harm has been done. The more abortions you have, the more the damage. If you don't want an abortion, don't allow yourself to be coerced. There are organizations that offer help, throughout the United States. They help not only with an untimely pregnancy, but also with post-abortion help. You can find one near you by going to this web site:

http://www.optionline.org/

The link to the lists is on the right, and not very obvious.

If you are not married, have a talk with your boyfriend. You deserve better. He should cherish you and not use you as a sex object. You have a right to your bodily integrity. If you also enjoy sex, there are other ways you can get the same pleasure that are much safer and more healthy. For example, moderate exercise will provide pleasure. If your boyfriend refuses to help you protect yourself, after you have gone through this damaging and life-threatening procedure, you deserve someone better, and you should make yourself available. You are undoubtedly bonded to him, and it will be painful, but for your own sake, please don't stay with someone who insists on using you. If you are married, you can have a child, and there is no harm in doing so. If you need help because of the economy or whatever, please visit your local organization.

You are too precious to be taking these kinds of chances with your life. Please take care of yourself and stay safe. Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing.

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

QUESTION: wow i guess i should have told you more about me, 1st im happily married for 8 years now , 2nd i had a miss miscarriage and that was the reason for the D&C,and 3rd  i have a 5yo boy and want another another baby really bad i heard that there is an ovulation 10 days after a D&C(I heard about this after having unprotected sex) i was told before that it was not possible to get pregnant so soon, and im worried is to dangerous to be pregnant right away.

Answer
Hello, mily,

Yes, it would have been helpful, but I also apologize for making assumptions. Still, it doesn't hurt for you to know these things, and for you to pass this information on to others.

As for whether it is dangerous to become pregnant again so soon, I have no information that it is, particularly. Though it might be wise to wait for a month.

A D&C after missed miscarriage will not cause harm to your future children as far as I know. This is because the cervix is not green and hard, so no damage is done during dilation. Also, you are not at greater risk from breast cancer or auto-immune disease. When you do have another baby, it is wise to breastfeed exclusively for at least six months, on demand. Don't even give water. I actually breastfed one of my children exclusively for over a year.

I'm not really a fan of D&C after a missed miscarriage. There are several reasons for this. One is that as long as nobody puts anything into your vagina, you are unlikely to be at risk from infection. This especially includes any kind of vaginal exam. If your cervix isn't open, you're not at risk anyway. Another is that D&C does include scraping of the surface of the uterus, and this can cause scar tissue, which makes it more difficult for a baby to attach in a good location in the future. Another is that there is occasionally another reason for lack of completion of the miscarriage. This isn't a common occurrence, but it happened to me. I conceived a second child while I was pregnant with the one who later died. That baby was later born, and he is healthy and strong and now has two children of his own. My body took care of the remains of the first baby.

I talked to a very knowledgeable doctor who was a friend of mine after I had a missed miscarriage, and he said as long as I wasn't bleeding and in pain, I could safely leave the situation alone. I had bled profusely while the child was still alive, but at that point, I wasn't bleeding. And I never did have any pain.

D&C after missed miscarriage is standard medical procedure. It is reasonable to accept it, even though I personally have reservations.

I hope you will become pregnant soon and have a successful pregnancy. Good luck, and send me a picture when you have a new baby! :)