Questions in the Maternal and Child Health Forum have been answered by doctors from Henry Ford Health System.

Subject: Re: confused
Forum: The Maternal ~ Child Health Forum
Topic Area: Pregnancy - Normal
Posted by hfhs.md.rcs on February 17, 1999 at 12:34:30:
In Reply to: confused posted by Leanne on February 13, 1999 at 07:45:44:


I've been on the pill for 7 years. I stopped taking it at the end of Nov 98 and got my period on 2 Dec. Normal. I then got them again about the 16th. I suffered the loss of my puppy on the 8th of Jan and got my period again on the 11th. It is now the 14th of Feb and I don't have them. My Fiance and I are hopping to get pregnant so I took a test and it was negative but I have had all the symptoms except the breast tenderness and throwing up, but I have been constipated, frequent urination, dizzy , cramps etc.
I have had the runny clear mucus but now I am dry. My cervix has changed position. On the 7 Feb it was further back than normal and now it is very large and very close and squishy.

Is it too early to tell if I am pregnant. Could I be or is my body just trying to get back into a normal cycle after being on the pill for so long?

thank you in advance for your help.

Dear Leann:
I assume from your follow up on 2/14 that a menstrual flow began.
Symptoms in the second half of the menstrual cycle mimic those of early pregnancy and in ladies who are hoping, it is easy to understand why they feel as if they are pregnant.
Urine pregnancy tests become reliably positive 17 days from ovulation. Any variation in the length of the menstrual cycle may be due to variation in the day of ovulation. Further, the second half of the menstrual cycle can be 16 days in length as a normal variation.

Monitoring the cycle with a test to detect ovulation (basal temperature; urine ovulation kit) may be helpful.

The body does not need a long interval of time to "recover" from birth control pills. After 7 years, whether a woman is taking pills or not, there is reasonable likelihood that her menstrual cycle will be different. Since the pills mask changes in ovulation, menstrual flow, or cycle length, it is understandable why women blame the pill for differences.

Keywords: menstrual cycle after birth control pills.

This informatin is provided for education purposes and is not a medical consultation.If you have specific questions, please ask your physician.

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