Improved
6112 HealthChanged
3786 LivesSaved
3568 Lives1 lives impacted in the last 24 hrs Learn More
Q:
When Should I Take a Pregnancy Test?
By
Anonymous
January 4, 2011 - 8:29pm
Rate This
Hello! I have a quick question. My boyfriend and I had sex about 3 weeks ago. I was concerned that I was pregnant even though we used condoms (and he says he pulled out before ejaculating, and didn't find any breaks) becasue we didn't use any emergency contraception and I'm not on any hormonal birth control (yet). But then my period came on the 28th after being 2-3 days late (probably because of stressing about being pregnant), and I'm at the very tail end of it now, so it has lasted for about 7-days. I was reading up on decidual bleeding, and how it can resemble period-like bleeding. Though it is unlikely, I was wondering if there was any possibility that even after this period that there could be a pregnancy. But I don't think that's the case. I haven't had any other pregnancy symptoms, and my period was pretty moderate and I had 1 heavy day and the rest were moderate until it started to get light on the 3rd and 4th day. I have one home pregnancy test, and I was wondering if I should take it when my period stops completely. And if so, how long should I wait to take it?
Recent Posts
All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.
Add a Comment1 Comments
It is important to take a step back and use common knowledge about your body, sex, conception and what is the most likely answer.
Did you have protected sex? YES
Did your period begin when you expected it to? YES
Did your period last as long as usual? YES
Your menstrual bleeding "acts" a certain way, most of the time. It is usually predictable with the start date (within a few days), it may start out with heavy flow or spotting...become heavier...then taper off gradually. Menstrual bleeding usually lasts 4-7 days. Isn't this what you experienced?
Decidual bleeding occurs during a woman's pregnancy (decidua is the term for the uterine lining during pregnancy). You can look up anything on the internet, and self-diagnose as having that condition, right? So, if you had protected sex, your period began around the time it was supposed to, lasted about the duration it was supposed to...it was your period. Other types of bleeding that women have when they are actual pregnant appears more like spotting (although, not always), does not follow a predictable pattern, and can be serious conditions.
Keep using protection, and you may want to take a step back and ask yourself if you are emotionally ready to be having sex at this point, if you are so concerned about possible negative outcomes-- even when making good choices to protect yourself.
January 4, 2011 - 10:56pmThis Comment