Could I have been pregnant

  I am 37 years old.  After 10 years of infertility and severe endometriosis I
  became pregnant for the first time two years ago.  I gave birth to a healty
  baby boy.  We were told my chances of getting pregnant again were good and
  would be best if we didn't wait too long.  We are trying but have not had
  success yet.  I hear my clock ticking and am worried that my endometriosis
  will continue to get worse and lessen my chances.
  Now, finally my question.  I was four days late this cycle.  I am a very dependable
  28 days.  I felt many early symptoms of pregnancy and felt this could be it.
  A home pregnancy test tested negative and I finally started yesterday.  My flow
  is unusally heavy.  Could it be possible that I was pregnant and this could
  be signs of an early misscarriage?  This has been a very unusual cycle.  Is
  there any reason not to continue to try to get pregnant again during this next month?
  Thank you for your help.
Dear Lynette:
I wish there were some way to answer your question. All women have occasional, different menstrual cycles: skip a period; are late; are early; have lighter flow; have heavier flow. The likelihood for this increases after age 35 years.
If this was a very early pregnancy, it would completely miscarry at this early time and the lining of the uterus can reheal itself to be a nourshing environment next month. Physicians will sometimes tell patients to take a month off for several theoretic reasons:
a chance to put any emotion behind them (we all need to grieve); if there should be any disruption in the timing of ovulation in the next cycle, the patient is not worrying about something that will self correct; if there is a change occurring in the menstrual pattern, there will not be confusion about pregnancy in the second cycle.
Keywords: delayed menstrual flow
This information isprovided for education purposes only and is not a medical consultation. If you have specific questions, please contact your physician.