I am 47 and don't want to be pregnant (input, please)

[MochamommyCC]

Hello, everyone. I would like to get some opinions on my situation.  I had the Essure procedure done in Sept. 2009 with no problems, had the follow-up confirmation test and everything appeared to be in the right place and 'blocked'.   The Essure procedure is supposed to be 99.8% effective, which of course is good, but still not 100%.   I also had an ablation earlier this year, also which was successful.  Supposedly ablation makes it difficult to maintain a pregnancy should one get pregnant, and people are supposed to be advised not to get pregnant if they have had an ablation (I was advised of that and had no issues with it, as I wanted no more children).   I also have read that at 47, my chances of getting pregnant are 1% per month.  With all of these variables together (Essure, ablation, and age), should I be o.k. in terms of not getting pregnant??? I am having some anxiety this month and while it's too soon to tell (less than two weeks since the event in question), I am having some pretty severe PMS if that's what it is.  Thoughts?? Anything to make me feel better about all of this?? Please do be honest................I actually would rather have that than comforting words :)

[MochamommyCC]

Hi, Number3 - (((((((((((thank you :))))))))))))))))))   Obsessing is a good way to describe me right now, lol.   I am going to try to relax and will give it more time before I do another test.    The odds truly are slim, so I don't know why I think I will be one of the very, very, minority with those odds.   My thanks to you and others on this board who have tried to help me think this through RATIONALLY and not emotionally :)))

[Number3at39]

Trust me,  you are completely normal.  Whether trying to conceive or trying not to,  the majority of us women look for any sign out of the ordinary.  A lot of times obsessing and looking for a logical explanation.  When I was trying to conceive my oldest,  everything seemed to mean I was pregnant.  I even did a hpt on my period.  I've seen a lot of posts on here from the same persons asking the same questions hoping to get a different response.   It's soo easy to worry about pregnancy as this can and would be life changing.   We all do.  I think your chances of pregnancy are extremely slim.  Again,  gl and I'm sure all is fine.

[MochamommyCC]

Thank you, Annie...........I will get the test and do it again.   I think I am just taking it to extremes and the ablation is something I am going to have to get used to (no cycle to tell me it's all o.k. :)))

I was trying to think of 'worse case' and what I would have to do if my doctor would not do that (I had nightmares about going to some awful 'clinic' where you are just a number and begging them to help me).  Wow, you can see I have a vivid imagination! I am hoping that this teaches me to think logically and not emotionally :)))  Thanks for talking me through this!

[AnnieBrooke]

In answer to your earlier question, of course they would remove the embryo for you if you did accidentally get pregnant.  The doctor wants it in there less than you do, the threats to your health would be so significant.

Get a First Response Early Results test, and test with first-morning urine in the morning.  Concentrate the urine as much as you can.  It should be reliable.

Good luck, though I don't think you need it.  :)

[MochamommyCC]

Thank you :))) I know I am freaking myself out.   With the age giving me 1% and Essure  .02 (not even a full percent), I am sure it is fine.  I think I let some of the stories I recently saw online about the very few Essure failures freak me out.   I read where over a 10 year period, there were like 700 women who it didn't work for, but that was out of like 500,000.  And it didn't say anything about their ages or other things (i.e., ablation or other variables).  I guess it's just the lack of cycle after the ablation that is freaking me out, since it is harder for me to know now :((( I am going to try and mellow out.

If I wanted to reassure myself,  how early could I do a blood test??   I am due in 3 days and the urines say 'neg', but I'm sure it is still way too early to test with that method.  What about the blood test??? Should I just do it for peace of mind and WHEN???

[Number3at39]

I dont think you have anything to worry about.  Like the other poster said,  age alone gives you a 1 % dhance of pregnancy. Thats not considering your other issues.  Its possible your cycle is changing as a relation to pre-menopause.  Of course,  there is always a possibility of pregnancy with unprotected sex.  But you have so many things working against you having a successful pregnancy.  Even if you were able to conceive,  implantaton has to occur,  and the egg has to be healthy in order for a pregnancy to be sustained.  I know its hard,  but i would try and relax.  Maybe take more precautions in the future so you dont stress yourself out next time.  Gl and hope your NOT pregnant...lol.

[MochamommyCC]

Thanks, Annie...........I took the test, though it was 3 days before I was due, so probably too early, but I still wanted to try since I am so anxious about this.   I think what is freaking me out is that I used to have very defined cycles so I would 'know' when I wasn't pregnant at cycle time.  Now that the ablation has pretty much eliminated those cycles, it puts me in freak-out mode (it was just done early this year, a few months ago).  So you think with age AND the Essure, the odds are very, very, small or still somewhat reasonable??

Lastly, if it does turn out that I have somehow managed to get pg despite small odds, will they make me continue the pregnancy (i.e., is it dangerous to terminate the pregnancy and/or do they have to do anything different than they would under normal circumstances due to the ablation - i.e., medical pill termination vs. something else).

I am driving myself insane to the point of even doing math equations trying to figure out the probability (YES, I am SERIOUS......it's that bad).

[AnnieBrooke]

Well, the Essure is your backstop here.  Ablation does not have a preventive effect, it just makes getting pregnant dangerous for the woman.  (Without an appropriate uterine lining, the embryo might implant and burrow into the uterine sidewall, causing bleeding that is hard to stop.)  So I'm glad you had the Essure.  (I personally think they should not do ablations on women who have not had their tubes tied or Essure.)

Similarly, your age is against you getting pregnant.  You were born with all the eggs you'll ever have, and so they are 47 too.  (Or 48, since they were in your ovaries when you were in the womb.) Sometimes a woman at 47 gets pregnant naturally (especially those who have had a lot of children already), but it is really pretty rare.  And the embryo is likely to miscarry if it happens.  But you really don't even want it to try to implant.

Anyway, my guess is, not pregnant.  If you're having symptoms that make you think you are, take a test.  First Response Early Results are good.