Expert: Catherine Beier MS CBE - 11/14/2008

Question
QUESTION: ok its kind long well i was in a car crash the other day and they gave me medication. pain killers and things of that nature. during all this i was on my cycle and came off the day i got out of the hospital well the same day my boyfriend and i had sex and i wanted to know if it was possible for me to be pregnant. i don't know if its the medication that makes me sensitive to smell and nausea or makes me a little weepy for no reason i want to know if its possible and if so what are my chances of being pregnant i also cant really eat its like ill eat a little then that its i have been tired and knida faint i do have little cramps every now and again im confused can you help me? Oh and its only been a week is it to early to tell if there is anything there or is it not possible excuse the way i word this i just don't know what to expect or what really going on

ANSWER: Kassy,


You haven't given me enough information to give you a clear answer either way, such as the date of your last period or when in your cycle you had intercourse.


Any time you have unprotected intercourse, you can get pregnant.  If it's only been a week, then it's unlikely that any of your symptoms are related to pregnancy.  Medications, stress, and injury can all cause the symptoms you've listed. Typically, you wouldn't be feeling any symptoms until about 2 weeks after conception, if even that early.


So, the only way to be sure will be to wait until you are late for your next cycle to take a pregnancy test.



Best,
Catherine

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

QUESTION: well ok now thats a littel clear to me now i guess my real question was if i could get pregnant around the time that i did have intercouse. let me explain it a littel better on the date of november 5 i came on my cycle and got off ob november 8 and we had sex the same night then the day after that also. im in school for medical assistant and i  asked my teacher if it was possible and she said no because i just came off mf my cycle but i read on the internet that if your cycle is irregular then its possible to get prgnant at anytime im not sure can you clear that up for me?

Answer
Kassy,


While you are correct that it's possible to get pregnant at that point, it's highly unlikely.  


Ovulation typically occurs about 14 days before the start of your next period.  So, if your cycle is usually 34 days long, then ovulation most likely occurs around day 20.  


So, it is a possibility that you ovulated on day 4 of your cycle, but I am nearly 100% sure that you are not pregnant.  It could happen, but the chances are so slim that you ovulated so early in your cycle are very, very remote.



Stranger things have happend, but they are the exception, not the rule.




Best,
Catherine