Expert: Doctor Early Options - 1/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi, Dr. Joan. I'm glad to find this site. I had a medical abortion on December 5 and bled until dec.23 . after the bleeding subsided, i had spotting or brownish discharges like you would towards the end of your mens until today, Dec.31.

unfortunately, since any type of abortion is legally restricted here in the phils, i got my meds (mifepristone and misoprostol) from the web. this goes to say that i never had medical check-up prior to and post-abortion so i never realized that it's possible to get pregnant AGAIN a few weeks after an abortion. it's only when i went back to the website and read down further that i learned.

my husband and I had unprotected sex on December 25 and 29. i cannot say that my brownish discharges had cleared up. in fact, i still have them today, dec.31. Could i be pregnant again, and am i experiencing implantation bleeding?

I really hope to get your answer because I'm quite scared and worried. thanks in advance.

ANSWER: Dear Sheila,
It is possible to get pregnant after an abortion; you have the same chance of getting pregnant as any other time.  There is no way to know if you got pregnant again by evaluating your bleeding.  The best thing to do is to check a pregnancy test.  It will likely be positive from your previous pregnancy.  Check it again in one week, and compare it to the first one.  If the second one is darker, you could be pregnant again; if it is lighter or negative, you should be fine.  You may want to look into some kind of birth control that's more reliable.
I hope this is helpful,
Doctor Joan

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

QUESTION: Dear Dr. Joan,

Yeah, I forgot to mention that I did a urine pregnancy test on December 27, which came out negative.  My concern is that if I am again pregnant, do you think it will still be safe to have another medical abortion 2-3 weeks from now when I just had it 4 weeks ago?

By the way, thank you for your quick response to my first question.

Worried and anxious,
Sheila

Answer
Dear Sheila,
Thank you for the additional information.  In the unlikely event that you are pregnant again, it is completely safe to end the pregnancy or continue the pregnancy. It won't affect your future ability to get pregnant or your ability to continue a pregnancy.  Both the abortion pill and the aspiration procedure (see earlyabortion.com) end an early pregnancy without changing the lining of the uterus, so don't affect fertility.  Obviously, you wouldn't want to, but you could safely do either of these procedures month after month without any medical problems.
I hope this is helpful. Good luck!  Take the test one week after the date of sex you're concerned about.  If it's negative, you're fine.
Doctor Joan