AboutBrenda Expertise I have been an R.N. since 1988 and come from a family of nurses. I have clinical experience in labor and delivery, as well as post-partum care and pre-term pregnancy complications. I have also worked in Community Health Clinics dealing with this area of expertise, including WIC (Women, Infant, & Children) clinics performing nursing evaluations and assessments in determining a need for services or intervention for pregnant women, newborns, and young children. I have worked in immunization clinics in and around my community as well. I also have several years experience in OB and Pediatric Home Care Nursing. In addition to that, I am a mother of two, ages 21 and 16, both of which I had hoped would be vaginal deliveries, but ended up being C-Sections... one of which had me in pre-term labor...another which was frank breech (bottom first)... one who rejected the breast... and so on... to list my personal experience would be a bit lengthy! I'd simply like to help anyone who might have a question or concern that I can draw on my expertise to answer!
Experience I have been an R.N. since 1988 and come from a family of nurses. I have clinical experience in labor and delivery, as well as post-partum care and pre-term pregnancy complications. I have also worked in Community Health Clinics dealing with this area of expertise, including WIC (Women, Infant, & Children) clinics performing nursing evaluations and assessments in determining a need for services or intervention for pregnant women, newborns, and young children. I have worked in immunization clinics in and around my community as well. I also have several years experience in OB and Pediatric Home Care Nursing. My experience also includes approximately three years working in Behavioral Services.
Education/Credentials Graduated from the Mary Lanning School of Nursing in May 1988. Have been a licensed Registered Nurse in the state of NE since 1988.
Expert: Brenda Date: 7/3/2008 Subject: could i possibly be pregnant?
Question ok i had unprotected sex twice and 5 days after that i started my period. it only lasted 2 days instead of its normal 7. my period is never irregular. 10 days after i had sex i went to the doctor he did a pg test and it came back negative. but there are some people worried that it wasnt accurate because i only told the doc about the first time i had sex but not the second. i was convinced that i wasnt, but since then my breasts have gotten really tender and swollen and you can also see like all of the veins. and ive been having some cramping right below my belly button. i have also been eating a ton and when i dont i get really lightheaded. i have also been getting lightheaded when i stand up. i dont think im necessarily gaining weight but my stomach is really tight and i have had to use the restroom alot. There is no way i could be pregnant though is there? thanks for your help!
Answer Dear Bekah,
It really has nothing to do with whether you had unprotected sex once or twice or three times, if the sex was in the same 24 hours time. Actually, the more important thing is the time between the unprotected sex and the date the test was done. A quantitative blood pregnancy test (if that is what was done) may or may not have been accurate as little as 10 days after the potential date of conception. Personally, I would not have completely trusted the results of any test until at LEAST 14 days after a possible conception.
The symptoms you describe are hormonal in nature and can also be related to hormone fluctuations within your cycle. That is why it so difficult to "diagnose" a pregnancy based on symptoms alone.
You will need to test for pregnancy to know for sure. Although some tests claim accuracy on the first day of a missed period, I usually suggest that women wait until the week after a missed or spotty period before testing for pregnancy. This tends to minimize the incidence of false negative results and also avoids wasting money on a test for a simple delay of a period by a few days. When/if you test make sure to use 1st morning urine to get a concentrated sample for the most accurate results.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
