ask: I want to know if i could be pregnant after my period was late 4 days.

Hi Vanguel,

We have helped answer some of these questions about a possible pregnancy for you before, and I'm wondering how long you have been trying to be come pregnant?

As you know, your symptoms could be many things, most likely menstruation ("bad cramping" does not occur commonly with a pregnancy that would be viable for only 2-4 weeks).

A period being late 4 days is also nothing to be concerned about, in and of itself.

Please take a home pregnancy test, as that is the only way to know if you are pregnant. We can only "guess" and "hope" with you. In my experience (personal and speaking with many women, as well as reviewing literature on conception and pregnancy), most women do not have pregnancy symptoms before their missed period (or, the week of their missed period).

Hi Vanguel,
I sent you an email, to reply, but wanted to post this for the benefit of other women as well. (For other readers: I received additional information from Vanguel via email, and wanted to share my response):

I'm sorry you are frustrated, I've been there! We were trying for several months, too, and each time my period came, I felt nauseous, tired, dizzy, back hurting..all of these things you mentioned. I'm sorry, because I know its disheartening. I, too, had experienced MUCH lighter periods those days as well (which adds to the "baby hopes" syndrome), and I will do some research, and post the answers during this week: do some women have lighter periods who have been off the birth control pill for several months?

From a health standpoint, having your period (even though it's light) and a negative pregnancy test (once you're expecting your period) most likely means you are not pregnant. I'm sorry!

Another way to look at this: most viable pregnancies do not include bleeding as a symptom of pregnancy (implantation bleeding is brown and more of a spot or spotting, and occurs a few days before or during an expected period...not after). (Please know: some women do have some bleeding during a pregnancy, and everything turns out OK, but this is when a pregnant woman would call her doctor to run tests...this is what I mean that it is not a common symptom...it requires medical attention and management).

I'm also wondering if your symptoms are from your hormones in your body (rather than the hormones from birth control pills...were you taking hormonal contraception before trying to become pregnant)? The tired, dizzy, nausea and back pain can be caused from the estrogen, progesterone and other hormones in your body that regulate your menstrual cycle, and they have a severe decrease before/during your period...so your symptoms can be from "withdrawal" of your natural hormones (instead of the synthetic hormones from the pill).

I hope this information helps! Best wishes to you, and keep trying! Have fun, and try not to stress too much about how long it is taking...it will work out.