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Had Protected Sex. Took I Pill. Noticed Brown Discharge With Cramps. Pregnant? When Can I Take The Pregnancy Test?

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Posted on Thu, 13 Jun 2013
Question: I had sex with my boyfriend from the 13th-15th May. We used a condom and he never cums inside me. I also took a ipill on the 15th May as an extra precaution. I had my last periods on the 2nd May. I am now experiencing a light brown discharge from my vagina, it is slight and is accompanied with slight cramps. Felt like my period at first. Does it mean i am pregnant for sure?? Or may it be because of the ipill?? How soon can i take the pregnancy test? Please help.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shanti Vennam (28 minutes later)
Hi,

Thanks for writing to us.

The emergency pill contains excess hormone enough to disturb the hormonal milieu of the body to prevent pregnancy. This also leads to breakthrough bleeding and cycle disturbances as a side effect. As you have taken the pill, you could be experiencing a breakthrough bleeding. Chances of pregnancy in the present scenario are very little.

If you wish to take a pregnancy test at the earliest possible, you can go for serum beta-hCG assay at least 10 days after the date of your last intercourse. Moreover, if you have regular 28-30 day cycles, your ovulation time would fall around 18-20th May. This is most likely to be disrupted as you have taken the pill before that. So, you may go for a pregnancy test at around 27th of May or a couple of days later.

You are more likely to have a delayed period due to the pill and if you do not get your period within 10-14 days of your expected date, you should see a specialist for an evaluation and advice. If you wish for extra protection, please go for some regular contraception that suits you and reserve the emergency pill for use only a couple of times in a year as it drastically interferes with your fertility state later.

Hope I have answered your query. Please feel free to contact if you need further clarifications. I will be happy to help.

regards,
Shanti.V.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shanti Vennam (2 days later)
Thank you so much for your help. I am quite relieved. I have been bleeding for the past three days now. It is like a light period. Is that a matter of concern? Also, i am required to undergo a urine routine test and urine culture as a pre-employment medical test. Do these tests detect pregnancy by any chance?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shanti Vennam (18 minutes later)
Hi,

Thanks for writing back.

You need not worry about your bleeding as it is likely to be a withdrawal bleeding and may last for a few days. So long as it is not prolonged and heavy, it should not be of much concern.

Routine urine tests and urine culture cannot detect pregnancy. You need to test for the pregnancy hormone hCG to detect pregnancy and that is possible only with the pregnancy test kits.

As I have informed earlier, if you do not get your regular period within 10-14 days of the expected date, you would need a proper evaluation by a specialist. In future, try to use a regular form of contraception as emergency pill usage should be restricted to hardly a couple of times a year as it drastically interferes with the normal hormonal imbalance of the body and could lead to infertility problems in the future.

Hope I have clarified your doubt. Please get back if you have further questions.

regards,
Shanti.V.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Shanti Vennam

OBGYN

Practicing since :1989

Answered : 7667 Questions

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Had Protected Sex. Took I Pill. Noticed Brown Discharge With Cramps. Pregnant? When Can I Take The Pregnancy Test?

Hi,

Thanks for writing to us.

The emergency pill contains excess hormone enough to disturb the hormonal milieu of the body to prevent pregnancy. This also leads to breakthrough bleeding and cycle disturbances as a side effect. As you have taken the pill, you could be experiencing a breakthrough bleeding. Chances of pregnancy in the present scenario are very little.

If you wish to take a pregnancy test at the earliest possible, you can go for serum beta-hCG assay at least 10 days after the date of your last intercourse. Moreover, if you have regular 28-30 day cycles, your ovulation time would fall around 18-20th May. This is most likely to be disrupted as you have taken the pill before that. So, you may go for a pregnancy test at around 27th of May or a couple of days later.

You are more likely to have a delayed period due to the pill and if you do not get your period within 10-14 days of your expected date, you should see a specialist for an evaluation and advice. If you wish for extra protection, please go for some regular contraception that suits you and reserve the emergency pill for use only a couple of times in a year as it drastically interferes with your fertility state later.

Hope I have answered your query. Please feel free to contact if you need further clarifications. I will be happy to help.

regards,
Shanti.V.