Period while pregnant?

[annamatic.livejournal.com]

I've cross-posted this to a lot of other communitites because I'm pretty freaked out about it.

One of my cubicle-buddies at work (I hardly know the girl, so I don't know how reliable she is) said that she knows someone who was pregnant and didn't know it for five months because she kept getting a regular, on-time, full four to five days, Tampax-needing, more than just light spotting, monthly "period" during her pregnancy. What the hell!! I always figured that if you were expecting your period and around that day, you started bleeding thick heavy bright red blood, cramps and all, you could breathe a big old sigh of relief and assume you weren't pregnant. Now I'm all freaked out. You can still bleed on time every month and be pregnant??? How they hell are you supposed to realize it then?? You would assume if you got your period that you shouldn't have to worry.

How common is this? The comments I have received from other websites are pretty discouraging, like "Oh yeah, that happens all the time, my girlfriend/cousin/aunt had her period for four/five/(x) months and didn't even know she was pregnant because of it!"

I'm not on any kind of BC right now because my body reacts very badly to hormones and my partner and I have been using withdrawal, mutual masturbation, and cycle tracking, but it still totally freaks me out to know that you can bleed on time and for the full amount and still not know if you're pregnant or not. Please help!!!

Comments

[bluejupiter.livejournal.com]

Okay. First off, calm down. Yes, this happens, but it doesn't happen to everyone. The problem is you can't be sure it'll happen to you, and every pregnancy a woman has is different. The symptoms of pregnancy are more than just your period stopping, tho'. Most women get sore breasts and itchy nipples, and weird cravings (mine was strawberries. God, I couldn't eat enough!) and other things like mood swings.

Second, withdrawl is a very very ineffective form of birth control, and if you continue, chances are you will get pregnant.

Here's what you need to do. Go to the drug store, buy a pregnancy test and condoms. USE BOTH. The pregnancy test will calm you down a little. No more sex without condoms if you don't want to get pregnant. Pre-cum does contain sperm! If there's penetration of ANY kind, USE A CONDOM. If he complains about using a condom, STOP HAVING SEX.

And talk to your doc next time about the other options in birth control. My first pills gave me such horrible mood swings that my doc switched my pill to something different, and it's been smooth sailing ever since. Try a few different kinds before you give up.

Good luck.

[zombiefaerie.livejournal.com]

I am going to have to agree. The BCP I was on destroyed me and made me very unpleasant. Trying different kinds is important even though it can be a pain. Condoms have to be, in my opinion, the best form of contraceptive.

[annamatic.livejournal.com]

I have tried five different kinds. They all exacerbate my already intolerable migraines. I don't have health insurance, so a doctor visit is kind of out of my league right now... even Planned Parenthood charges $100 for the office visit that would allow me to get back on the pill.

We do sometimes use condoms and since I am getting married there is no just "not having sex" ...^-^

I appreciate your concern and your points. Thanks for the input. :)

[annamatic.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your assurance! I know that there are other symptoms, and I have experienced an unwanted pregnancy before when I was 20 (I am 29 now). How effective is the diaphragm I wonder? I'm a bit on the heavy side, 5'4" and a size 14/16, would that matter any? I'll research into it some more. I do trust my body, it's just hard not to worry when you hear all these scare tactics :)

[galateadia.livejournal.com]

i had a coworker that that happened to, but she never had very regular periods. her system was always totally wacked, she menapaused at 33. not normal at all.

i would go with what the first commentator said. it's not likely to happen to just anyone. there are usually extenuating circumstances to stories like this, people like to talk about the weirdness but not the weirdness that happened before. normal female bodies don't just do this.