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

@Gcsunnyside23
Thankyou for your kind words. As much as it is possible the line doesn’t seem dark enough for this, but still testing positive 10 weeks on seems off aswell.

@mumsnet can you put a trigger warning on this please?

Thankyou, I can understand how my posts can come off as a stupid irresponsible person, but at this point I’m just desperate to have this done with, and if I’m pregnant again to be able to deal with this. Bpas cancelled my scan due to short staffing, cannot offer another until mid august. I’ve ordered some more tests, due Tuesday, if the line is darker then I know my answer, if it’s still faint but the same then will book a GP visit as 10 weeks on I should be testing 0

@MissChanandlerB0NG sorry this is my first post I didn’t realise you could do that although mumsnet do need to put one on, sorry if I’ve upset you

Don't worry, OP, it hasn't upset me! I've recently gone through an abortion and your description of your experience in the bath made me re-think everything. I'm sorry you went through that, I'm just worried for others who might find it distressing.

Take care and make sure you get the help and support you need.

@MissChanandlerB0NG Oh I’m sorry to hear that, I hope your recovering well following. - I realise I probably shouldn’t have written about that, inconsiderate of me but I guess I was only thinking about myself and my issues when I posted the post. Best wishes

Thank you, slowly getting there. It's your post you're absolutely allowed to write whatever you feel comfortable saying. This post is about your experience and I really hope your okay. Sometimes Mumsnet will add a warning when asked, sometimes they won't. But please don't feel like you can't talk about your experiences. 🙂

Sorry OP, this must be so stressful. People shouldn't be bashing you as it sounds like you are well aware of your mistakes and hopefully have learned from it.

With regards to the prolonged bleeding - I had a termination for medical reasons and I bled consistently for about 8 weeks. I was well and truly fed up, I was told the average would be 2-3 weeks so I was also really worried about retained products. However everyone I reached out to (midwives, GP, EPU etc) just kept saying if I wasn't in pain and there was no foul smell from the bleeding, it most probably wasn't retained products. I also tested positive until I stopped bleeding.

I'm unable to help in terms of if I think you could be pregnant, I don't know if I ovulated while I bled (although I don't think I did, as my first ovulation after first period post TFMR, was very noticeable and uncomfortable!) But everyone is different.

But my point is, hopefully you don't have retained products if you've not been in pain, had a fever, or foul smelling bleeding.

But as per everyone else's comments, only a scan will tell you what you need to know! Good luck. Hope you get yourself the support you need once you've gotten through this.

@pebbles3004

Hi it’s good to hear somebody else who has had a similar experience recovering. You’re right, everywhere online, medical son the phone all say 2-3 with a max of 5 weeks positive and bleeding. I am super worried about having retained product. Did you find you tested negative right after the bleeding stopped? Or was it a few days/week after? This is why I’m why I’m confused, it stopped a few days ago and I’m still positive, yet faint, but surely if I was pg I would be 6-7 weeks by now, and a dark line and symptoms

@e0103 i really think you should have a scan, could you speak to your GP and see if they will refer you for one?

@Flowerlover010 I did I spoke to a few and a few nurses a couple days ago, they don’t have spaces for scans until a few weeks, and with transportation atm that’s difficult, bpas fit me in one but have cancelled today and are unavailable near me until mid aug, and with train strikes I can’t possibly go much further as this one was already an hour drive away. My best cause I think is to wait for these tests on Tuesday, and if the line is darker then I know I’m pregnant, however if it’s the same then I know I’m not and can let the doctor know I’m not pregnant but am still testing positive almost 3 months on

@e0103 I'm not sure, I stopped testing because I actually managed to get a scan and they were able to confirm everything looked normal, and I did stop bleeding around the same time too.

Are you sure you would be 6-7 weeks, if you don't know when you ovulated or if you actually had a period to be able to date yourself? Not saying at all that I think you are pregnant, as you say give it a few more days to see how the line changes, and try and get a scan.

@pebbles3004 Inmean hopefully I’m not, but if I was, I would have to be 6-7 as the last time I had intercourse was the beginning of June, so if I did have a period around 17th of may, and then sec a couple weeks later, I would have had to have ovulated around that time as I haven’t had sex since then. I really don’t know but that I am sure off, that’s to say I even had a period at all. If the line is darker I will be shocked as I’ve had no symptoms apart from fatigue and no period which would be strange this far along. Otherwise it’s really strange how I still have HCG in my system at this point. I hate not knowing I should have dealt with this ages ago, but I assumed once I stopped bleeding I would be negative :/

@whoisjoe sorry I didn’t see this earlier. Thankyou for this comment, it really does mean a lot x

A friend of mine tested positive for months after a termination and although there was no pregnancy, there was some retainers tissue. Could that be the case with you?

I hope it gets sorted op.