'I took the morning after pill but didn't come on. Could I be pregnant?'
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Q: Since I was about 17 I have had regular periods – 26 days exactly every time. Last Tuesday I had sex and the condom split. We took his penis out as soon as we realised (seconds before ejaculation) so he came on my bottom and the bed sheets. I got the morning after pill as a precaution, and took it properly. The first tablet was 25 hours after sex. I experienced no bleeding or 'spotting'. Is this good or bad? I was due to come on today (Monday) but my period didn't start. I got so worried I took a home pregnancy test today, and it was negative. However, this evening I had waves of nausea and was nearly sick at one point (my stomach muscles contracted). Could the delayed period be because of stress (I am moving next week)? Or could I have worried about pregnancy so much that I will miss this period? This has never happened to me before though. Please help me. I have no idea what is going on with my body. If I am pregnant I need an abortion this week because I am leaving home next week to go to university, but I cannot afford to pay for a private abortion. Stephanie, 20. |
our online advisors reply:
Hi Stephanie. It must be very stressful to have the worry of a possible unplanned pregnancy on top of leaving home to become a student. You're right that stress can affect your cycle, but a delayed period is also one of the possible side-effects of the morning after pill. Bleeding, or 'spotting', is something that sometimes happens, not something that always does.
There is an article about the morning after pill at www.netdoctor.co.uk. As the article says, it is very effective when taken properly and you were well within the 72-hour time limit.
Another good thing is that your boyfriend did not come inside you. It is possible that some of his sperm got inside your vagina, but it is less likely than if he had not withdrawn.
Nausea can be a sign of pregnancy for some women, but can also be caused by anxiety.
You also say that your test was negative. Pregnancy test kits are very reliable and most can detect pregnancy as early as the first day of a missed period, which is when you did yours.
Taking all these factors into account I think the chances are good that you aren't pregnant, but of course you need to be sure. If you still haven't started your period in a couple of days time, you could do another home pregnancy test. But it might help for you to see a doctor, who could check out your other symptoms as well as doing another pregnancy test.
If you would rather not see your own GP about this there are other options. Brook offers free sexual health advice and help – including counselling and referrals for abortion – for young people up to the age of 25. If you call the Brook helpline on 0800 0185 023 (weekdays) you will be able to find out where the nearest Brook, or other sexual health clinic, is. These clinics are completely confidential and no one will be told about your visit.
If it turns out that you are pregnant, and you decide that you want an abortion, it's unlikely that you would get an NHS appointment this week. Our article about abortion has some personal stories of young women who had to wait a while.
If you have an abortion after you have started university, you might need someone to talk to about your feelings. Virtually all universities offer free counselling to students. The website www.studentcounselling.org explains counselling and has contact details for all university counselling services.
Finally, going to university can be stressful for anyone – even without your extra worries at the moment. We have an article called campus survival, which you might like to read.
I hope this is useful Stephanie. Take care.
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