Positive 10wk post abortion or a new pregnancy? Bleeding 2 months

[e0103]

Hi all I am desperate for some help as I can’t seem to find any posts online that are similar to mine as such.

I am 20 and had an abortion on the 26th of April at nearly 8 weeks pregnant. Only a close friend knew and I passed the pregnancy in the bath alone and it has left me quite traumatised, waking up in my own blood and vomit after what I’m guessing is passing out from the pain, and looking down and swing the fetus, placenta and everything in the water. This is how I know I definitely passed the pregnancy.

I bled on off about a month after, however wasn’t always bad but enough to need a pad at all times, did the test the clinic sent me and still had a faint positive after 3 weeks. Rang them and they sent another to do the following week, also tested a slight positive but not as much and the bleeding had seemed to have slowed so I told them it was negative, however I still had lines on one step preg tests.

Following this, I continued to bleed right up until about 4 days ago. This was mainly brown sludge sort of blood but sometimes was red. Online says it shouldn’t be this long and I should have had a period by now. Anyway, following it stopping, I took another pregnancy test on Monday, and low and behold there is STILL a very faint line, it’s definitely there but isn’t strong, I will attach an image below to show you - this is again on a one step test.

I started googling again, I just want this over, and everything seems to be saying that by 6 weeks this should definitely be negative, and I’m at 10. It then said this could be the start of another pregnancy. I have had sex since the abortion, and as embarrassed as I am to say it, it wasn’t always protected, this was due to me believing there was no way I could be ovulating whilst still bleeding/or what seemed to be bleeding. I also hadn’t had a period, and still haven’t.

However when I looked back at my dates, as I track on the Flo app, I could see that around May 17th so about 3 weeks after the abortion, I seemed to bleed heavier and had cramping enough to take painkillers, however I did not take this as a period, as after a few days the odd blood and brown discharge continued. I then looked that I had last had sex June 6th, which was about 2 2 1/2 weeks after this heavier bleed, however I still bled a little after that although a lot less.

when I looked back to my prev cycle I seemed to have about 30-32day cycles and ovulated around day 19-22 and tested a strong positive about 17dpo. I had no symptoms apart from slight cramping but no period and was very shocked.

I can’t imagine I’m pregnant again and phoned BPAS and 111 and they all seem stumped and I have been booked for a scan on Monday. It must be retained product? If I was pregnant surely the test would be very dark by now as I would have been more then 20dpo, however I have no clue when I ovulated, if I had a period, or anything as it has just been so strange these past two and a half months. Currently my cervix is still sat high and has hardened, however earlier this month was very hard and low, almost hard to keep a tampon in, has become very soft and high and is now hard and high. I don’t believe I’ve ovulated, I always get a lot of ewcm, I don’t have a clue what’s going on and if I am pregnant, then why isn’t it showing clearer as the last time I had sex was June 6th so I would have had to have ovulated around that time, which does, if I’m correct and I did have a period that week 17th may, is about the time I would ovulate.

what are peoples opinions on this, I know this a long post but could I be pregnant? I have no symptoms apart from I am exhausted, but last time I had no symptoms until about a week after I tested positive so about 5 weeks, but I would be more than that now? I’m so confused. Thank you

Did you have unprotected sex?

You won’t know without a scan

I did a few times, but the last was on June 6th, so if I was pg surely that line would be much darker by now. And I didn’t realise I was fertile if I was bleeding etc I don’t know what’s going on 9 weeks of on off bleeding and 10 weeks still positive?

@MollysBrolly

@Mummapenguin20 I have an internal scan booked on Monday with bpas. I just hate not knowing what’s happening, the doctors seemed to have no clue what was happening

The average time to ovulate after a medical TOP is 3-4 weeks. Usual signs and symptoms of ovulation can be disrupted due to the medication and loss of pregnancy.
It sounds like you had a period, had sex a couple of weeks later, then some light bleeding?
The line looks fairly faint so most likely is you’re pregnant from the 6th June with some implantation bleeding following that.
Retained products is maybe technically possible so definitely repeat the test in a couple of weeks and get a scan lined up.
Did you do any other pregnancy test after the termination?

@e0103 if you have unprotected sex there is no reason why you couldnt be pregnant. Bleeding is not a way of knowing that you definitely wont get pregnant and your body is probably all over the place after an abortion so you probably would struggle to know when/if you've ovulated. You aren't going to know what's going on for definite until you have a scan and maybe bloods too.

@PinkDaffodil2 hi thanks for responding.

It is possible however the bleeding after the 6th has sometimes been fresh, red blood aswell as old blood and seems too much to be implantation bleeding. Furthermore, surely if I had conceived, the line would be a lot darker by now as last time the test line was showing before the control line at around 17dpo. This is what leaves me confused. Also got virtually no symptoms apart from tiredness. The test wasn’t done with fmu but if I was that far along surely it wouldn’t matter by now?

yes after the termination I did do a few more tests about 4-6 weeks after which all kept strong positives but we’re getting fainter. The last one I must have done about 3-4weeks ago and was just as faint as the one pictured above.

@Flowerlover010 it has been all over the place with random bleeding, spotting a, cramps and it has made me unable to track discharge, as well as my usual cycle being thrown completely off so I have no clue if/when I’ve had a period, I’m exhausted. Scan on Monday, if it’s still product left over then that will explain, however my body has stopped trying to shed, if it’s pg will be incredibly shocked, as such a faint line for this far along. This point last time my boobs were killing, everything smelt and I was exhausted.

why are you having unprotected sex if you are a fertile woman who doesn’t want a baby?
if it’s not your choice, try to speak to someone at the scan on Monday who may be able to help you.
otherwise, you or your partner need to start using contraception.

It may just be retained. But you’ve had unprotected sex, so yes you could be pregnant again.

@Landndialamrhf your absolutely right about that, the first time in April I was taken advantage off, I was addicted to drugs and alcohol and a much older person used that. When I found out I was pg I was repulsed by it and wanted it gone.

this time was with a guy I was seeing, who I trusted and we did use protection and didn’t sleep together a lot due to what was happening with me, but that one time in June we were both really drunk, had run out and I decided to stupidly take the risk thinking there could be no chance I could become pg from this once time, whilst still bleeding from an abortion.

Its a mess and I am currently trying to receive help for my drinking issues.

Oh gosh what a mess. Could you go and get a blood test for the pregnancy so that's clear. And maybe the implant / coil would be a better form of contraception.

If you are pregnant it's going to be tough if you want to keep it. It sounds like you'll need rehab because you really can't drink like this and carry a pregnancy. The fœtal damage alcohol abuse does is very hardcore.

Good luck.

Addicted to drink and drugs at 20 years old 😢 Jesus Christ, please get some help & stop using abortions as contraception!

have had sex since the abortion, and as embarrassed as I am to say it, it wasn’t always protected

Mate. Come on. 😞

You’re extremely vulnerable. You need to sort this out, seek some psychiatric support and stay away from men for a while.

And yes, I think a longer term contraceptive like the coil is probably a good idea. You won’t be protected against STDs obviously, but at least you won’t be having to have terminations and the associated trauma.

I would be devastated if my 20yo daughter was having unprotected sex right after a TOP and addicted to drugs and alcohol.

I hope you are seeking counselling through BPAS and looking at changing your life with support.

I can’t answer the ‘am I pregnant?’ question, only your investigations with BPAS will answer that. My advice (as an ex HCP in this field) would be to get onto a long acting form of reversible contraception (LARC) like the implant, Mirena or injection, as soon as possible. Obviously these will not protect against infection, so you will still
need to use a barrier method. Then please request a referral to drug and alcohol services (if you haven’t already), plus a referral or signposting to counselling services for your mental health needs.

@Wallywobbles Scan for Monday has been cancelled will need to call back the hospital to see what they can offer.

I am off drugs and have massively cut down my drinking

I do not use abortion as a form of contraception and I have worked very hard to come off drugs and have massively cut down my drinking. I had unprotected sex one time, drunk, convinced nothing could come of it. I’ve had one abortion, when I was completely taken advantage of by somebody else when I was in the height of my addiction and unable to do anything about it. I find this really offensive to be honest, it was not an easy thing for me to do at all, and I am struggling everyday.

@SillySausage21

Am more than aware of how “devastating” it would be. Do you not think I’m devastated? Do you not think I’ve worked on these problems to “sort my life out”. I’ve been going to sessions, I haven’t touched drugs or alcohol for over a month, I’m trying to find healthier ways to deal with my ptsd and mental health, I’m working really hard. I posted this because I’m scared and and I feel as if I want this part of my life to be done, so I can move on, however this issue is still lingering with the test and the bleeding.

Bpas cancelled my scan, I will have to go through to the hospital pregnancy unit, hope that everything is done and be able to move on with my life, without the constant looking down and criticism of people who, have no idea of my circumstances and my life.

Thankyou to those who have answered my original question

You sound like you're having a really tough time and I don't think it's fair people bash you about this considering the abortion was because you were taken advantage of. Well done in trying to get a handle on your addiction and I would say you should get extra help to keep it up along the way if you aren't already line counselling or meetings as I'm sure it's tough around the situation you ended up pregnant also. I'm the mean time just focus on getting an answer about current situation and see where you go from there. There is a chance but it could just be a complication with the abortion. If you're not then id get advice in best long term contraception for yourself as I think a baby while you're trying to help get yourself on the right track is stress you don't need

I hope you get some answers from the right people soon. Well done for recognising your addictions, I hope you can access support for this. People have no idea what this woman has been through - please don’t bash her when she is clearly traumatised and looking for a bit of support online. Sometimes our past trauma leads to us to bad life choices, be kind to others

Keeping it factual, did you take the test that was provided at the time of the abortion? They are different sensitivities to off the shelf tests and they are the ones that should be used.

@Ahhhhhbisto hi yes I took one at 3 weeks provided by them, faint positive, rang and they sent another to do a week later, also faint positive but less