To be panicking about the possibility of pregnancy?!

[shittyshitshit]

I'm almost 38. I have 2 DC already, one in their teens and one a toddler (just turned 2).

I had an extremely difficult pregnancy with #2 followed by quite severe PND. It wasn't fun. Financially we would be stretched by a 3rd.

I've been having symptoms and I don't think it's totally outside the realms of possibility that I could be pregnant. Im only on day 17 of my cycle, unprotected sex was on day 4 (whilst still bleeding). But I feel a very familiar sickly feeling that I had in early pregnancy with #2 and haven't been able to eat properly for 2 days because of this. I also have sore boobs.

Before anyone says to do a test - I have. It's negative. But I'm only on day 17 so I don't know how accurate it is.

It's highly unlikely isn't it?? The stats for getting pregnant on day 4 of a cycle for a start are very low, then my age too makes it less likely? Please reassure me. I'm scared.

Very unlikely to get pregnant having sex on CD4, even if the sperm survived for 5 days and you ovulated on CD9 and also would be very early to be having symptoms like feeling sick but of course not impossible, I'd test again in 2 days. What test did you use?

@MrNook Thank you for your reply. Yes I agree highly unlikely. The symptoms have just thrown me as the sick feeling is identical to that pregnancy sick feeling. Very strange. I used a cheap £1.50 test from a pharmacy, can't remember the brand.

if only there were a few things we could do, or take, or use if we didn’t want to have kids.

Unlikely, I’d say, FWIW!

Very unlikely

Those saying unlikely, is that because of the timing of intercourse or my age? Or both?

The day 4 thing, not your age. I know many people with babies conceived post 38.

Always a possibility of pregnancy with unprotected sex. You're only 38. I'm 42 and due to give birth in 2 months! All you can do is wait and see if your period shows.

It would be unlikely to ovulate on cd4 whilst still bleeding. Even if you did, you would only be 13 days post conception so a bit early to be getting symptoms and sickness. If your hormones were high enough to be causing symptoms you would expect them to show up on a test.
Of course nothing is impossible so all you can do is wait and test again

I think you will find there is absolutely nothing anyone can do in this situation. Everyone knows a stork delivers a baby!

Very unlikely. Even if the sperm survived 5 days that's still only CD9 which would be very early to ovulate. What length is your cycle normally?
Plus it would be too early at this stage for symptoms.
Not impossible though.

Thanks. Cycle is normally 28-29 days.

The timing. Although your fertility decreases after 35 a lot of that isn't necessarily to do with conceiving, it's the rate of miscarriage. Very unlikely given the timing. Also, if your sickness were pregnancy sickness you'd have hcg in your system and the test would be +.

What contraception do you use?

Usually condoms but on this occasion we were silly, I'll admit. Assuming the timing would make it a low risk time in my cycle. Which I think it is, but the symptoms have just thrown me a bit.

I think the timing makes it almost impossible but I wouldn't rely on natural cycles if pregnancy would be bad news for you.

In which case you probably normally ovulate anywhere between day 14 and 20...very unlikely to be as early as day 9.

I had unprotected sex the day my period had finished believing it was a "safe" time to do so. My cycle up to that point had always, always been 28 days.
Imagine my surprise when my next period didn't arrive and the pregnancy test was positive.
That surprise is now 14 years old and very much loved and wanted.
Taught me a sharp lesson though about assuming that just because something has always occurred in a certain way at a certain time does not mean it will always be that way.
I never took my contraceptive choices for granted again.
Good luck OP. It's a bugger and a real curve ball when things like this happen but its not insurmountable. Take care.

If you don't want to get pregnant
Don't have unprotected sex
It's quite simple really!!!

The theory is if you’ve enough hcg in your system, you’ve enough hcg for a positive pregnancy test. That being said, without knowing the test strength it’s hard to say for certain either way. I would assume you’re not pregnant though at day 4.