Is this my second pregnancy?

[Sarah2809]

Hello

I'm currently 12 weeks pregnant. I keep being asked if this is my first pregnancy and I'm not really sure what to say. I had an abortion 10 years ago at 9 weeks pregnant (I was very young and in the middle of school exams, having a baby wasn't right for me at the time and it wouldn't have been fair to bring a baby in to the world then).

Because of the abortion, does this count as my second pregnancy? I'm sorry if this is a really stupid question!

To me it’s your second pregnancy but what you say to people is up to you x

Yes, it would be classed as your second pregnancy. Doctors/midwives need to have your full medical history.

All information is confidential though so no need for it to be shared with anyone other than medical staff.

If you're being asked by medical professionals then absolutely it's your second.
If you're being asked as a personal question by people not involved in your maternity care, I would tell them whatever you're comfortable with, it's none of their business that you've had a previous abortion.

Who is asking? If its midwives etc I don't think your previous one really is relevant as it was terminated v early on.

They really want to know if you've done the whole pregnancy and birth thing before I would imagine.

It's up to you, I'd say either say it's first, or second but you should give explanation or they might make incorrect assumptions.

Agree with Rosie & TillyTheTiger- medical professionals need to know your full history (and will treat info with confidentiality/ impartiality), but up to you what you say to others.
In my case, I'm rhesus negative, so it was important for previous pregnancy/ termination to be on record due to possible sensitisation.

I suppose it’s your second pregnancy but your first child. In medical context you’d need to disclose the previous pregnancy but in social context you don’t need to tell anyone anything if you don’t want to!

I'm in the exact same position as you, it didn't occur to me until I was asked by a midwife.

Medically speaking, it is our 2nd.

But to anyone else asking, I have said its my first. Anyone that knows me knows I don't have children, so its only strangers that have asked and I'm not about to divulge to them.

When my doctor asked me I simply answered with "I had a termination when I was a teenager", and let him decide the relevance. If anyone else asks I reply with "this will be my first baby"