dumb question - get pregnant on your period??

[Chrysalis]

Okay, just as a warning this is kind of gross, so proceed at your own risk...

I had sex on my period this week and had a little 'accident' with the condom. My partner assured me that "you can't get pregnant on your period." well I didn't believe him of course. I mean what do men know about fertility! Plus I remember it being pounded into my head at some point in my life that you are never completely safe from getting pregnant, and that the "you can't get pregnant on your period" line was a myth, just like the "you can't get pregnant you first time" line is a myth.

So, I went to the walk-in clinic this morning for the morning after pill, simply because I am paranoid and would rather not get pregnant for listening to bad advice, thank you very much. To my surprised, the doctor would not give me a prescription! She told me the same thing: "you can't get pregnant on your period, so you don't need the morning after pill."

WTF?!?! Am I just a complete idiot, or is this really true? Not only did I feel stupid, I also ended up spending a crazy amount of money on the Nuva Ring birth control because turns out my insurance no longer covers me, which pissed me off and is a whole other story I won't get into, but it was just the icing on the cake of crappiness if you know what I mean.

So does anyone know if this is true? and while I'm at it, has anyone here tried the Nuvaring? It had damn well better be good for what I paid....

:-/

[Astarte]

From what I've read, it *is* possible to get pregnant during your period. While not very likely, you can ovulate while you're bleeding. Also, sperm can hang around in your reproductive organs for 5 days or so and if you ovulate soon after your period--again, it isn't terribly common, but it can and does happen--you can certainly get knocked up.

It was very irresponsible of the doctor to tell you you couldn't. Was it a gyno? Just a regular GP? I'd try to call a sexual health clinic in your area.. see if you can get the ECP. You're probably not pregnant, but you wouldn't want to take the risk :no:

[Chrysalis]

Thanks for the fast reply...I too thought it very wrong of the doctor to deny me ECP. After all there's no such thing as 0 risk. I don't have time to go to another walk in clinic since I work soon, but thankfully I found one that is very close to my job and it's open late tonight, so I'll try goingthere after work. I will just lie to them about my ovulation, so I don't have to deal with this BS again. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Astarte]

That sounds like a good plan. Remember the ECP is more effective the sooner you take it.

[Cissy]

It was very irresponsible of the doctor to tell you you couldn't.

seriously. you should report that doctor or something.

and like Astarte said, while not terribly likely, you're better safe than sorry.

[delicious]

I was taught that you could.
http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/pregnantduringperiod.html

[*AHIMSA*]

The answer they gave you and the refusal of treatment are both pathetic. You most certainly CAN get pregnant during that part of your cycle!!!

[renaissancesun]

Go to planned parenthood. They will give you the morning after pill (if it's not already to late) and an extra dosage to have around just in case of future emergencies.

Emergency contraception is not something people should wait to get until after the fact, if they are using barrier methods without a hormonal method, IMO.

[zoebird]

everyone here gave great advice.

for the purpose of clarity, i want to expand on the 'sperm can live for up to five days. . ." aspect that someone mentioned.

typically, this is only possible when cervical fluid is present. it isn't always present. when it isn't present, sperm usually only manage 1-3 days in the reproductive organs of a woman.

some women have cervical fluid and fertility just after their periods--it's likely that they didn't know that they had cervical fluid during their period because of all that blood. you can't really see both to discern which part is mensus and which part is cervical fluid.

but, overall, it's rare to ovulate when menstruating, but it can happen.

EC is a great option when your normal BC method fails.

[zoebird]

oh, and true dat Ren Sun. most people should keep EC on hand if they only use one method of BC.

[Chrysalis]

Oh, I would totally report her if only I remmebered her name. I don't think I was supposed to even be her patient. And the place, well I dind't go toinght cuz it wasn't open as long as I thought. so now I gotta wait until tomorrow. Which is still within the 72 hour time frame. And actually, I was supposed to have a prescription already...the doctor who did my annual pap smear said she was gonna give me one for "just in case" but then we both forgot I guess :(

I am so unbelievably angry with that doctor from this morning. What a ****ing bitch. Pardon my language. I'm just sooo.. ARGHH!H!H!HH!

PS: thanks for the advice/support :)

[delicious]

It should be easy to find out the doctor's name. Just call the clinic and ask them to tell you the name of the doctor who saw you.

The chick needs to be re-educated, at the very least.

[Chrysalis]

I just noticed that her name is on the prescription she gave me for the Nuvoring, so I emailed the administrater today and reported the doctor. I would have called, but I don't really trust myself to stay calm on the phone. Hopefully something can be done to prevent this from happening to someone else.

[zoebird]

good job, starblossom.

[IamJen]

:up: Right on, sister!

I mean, geez Louise, a DOCTOR who went to MEDICAL SCHOOL should know better. They teach "you can get pregnant on your period" to most every public highschool kid in America (and most of Canada too ;) )

[msbunnicula]

Any updates?

[Chrysalis]

Well this is what she wrote back to me, and below that is the original message I sent. I got the reply June 7, and have not heard anything from the Director yet. I figure I'll wait til a week has passed then write a follow-up to make sure he got it and find out what they did.


"Thanks for letting me know about this. I am going to forward this
email to our Director, Dr. xxxxxxxx for follow-up."


I wrote:


>Dear xxxxx xxxxx,
>
>I'm writing to you about a concern I have with (my school)'s health and
>counsilling services. I had a very bad experience with my walk-in
>appointment on Friday, June 2nd 2006 and I feel that I should report it
>to someone.
>
>My doctor that day was xxxxxxx xxxxxx. The reason for my
>unscheduled walk-in appointment was to get emergency
>contraception/morning after pill. Ms. xxxxxx refused to give me a
>prescription for this. The reasons why are very personal, but I guess I
>should tell you what she said: "you can't get pregnant on your period,
>so you don't need the morning after pill." I questioned her on this,
>and she insisted this was the truth, so I left that day without the
>emergency protection I needed. I now realize, after doing some reading,
>that what she told me is not entirely true.
>
>I have never had a problem with (my school)'s health and counsilling
>services before, but I find it extremely disturbing that a doctor would
>give anyone such misleading information. I feel that it was
>irresponsible on her part, and the entire incident still has me feeling
>very upset. She did, however, give me a prescription for a Nuvaring.
>
>Anyway I'm not sure what actions you want to take, but I just think
>it's important for someone to know what happened. I hope I haven't
>been too much trouble.
>
>Thank you very much for your time.
>
>Sincerely,
>(my name)

[Chrysalis]

Jumping up and down immediately after intercourse will prevent conception.

:lol: well if she had told me to just jump up and down a lot, I would have told her to get her head checked LOL

ETA: welcome to VB by the way! :hamster:

[msbunnicula]

Were you able to get the pill from another clinic?

[zoebird]

btw, snopes doesn't know everything.

in FAM circles, we're taught that there's a possibility of ovulation during menstruation, but one can't tell because you can't read enough symptoms--due to the presence of blood--to determine whether or nto you are.

and some women actually enter fertility phase during their periods, and ovulate within 3-5 days after their periods--which means they could concievably get pregnant during their period IF cervical fluid was present during their period, which could maintain the sperm until ovulation a few days later.

so it does happen. it's rare, but it does happen.

[IamJen]

I think the other poster meant that Snopes listed "you CAN'T get pg on your period" as one of their myths.

[purrpelle]

i disagree. snopes knows everything.
<<<e-mails snopes links back to every alarmist e-mail received

[zoebird]

i see, clarity issues.

if snopes says "it's a myth that you can get pregnant during your period" then snopes is wrong. if snopes says "it's a myth that you can't get pregnant during your period," then snopes is right. :)

[IamJen]

I don't know why I didn't look this up before :) :
http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/conceive.htm