Brief Answer: Relax. This is not a pregnancy. Detailed Answer: My dearXXXXX Relax. Lets look at this issue systematically and scientifically. Knowledge will arm you and reassure you. Ignorance causes anxiety. A sexual contact 4 months ago cannot result in a pregnancy or any complication of pregnancy like a partial abortion or something like that if the girl is having no abnormality in her periods. Your friend is having normal 27-30 day cycle for last 4 months and, as i understand, there has been no sexual contact after 10th July, since you both stay in different cities. In case a pregnancy resulted from the contact in July, her periods would not have been normal and further, she would have some kind of irregularity like a continued, prolonged spotting/bleeding. As i check the dates, i find that not only were they regular but also they lasted 4-5 days each time, except in August when they lasted 6 days. That's ok. We consider any period lasting more than 6 days as 'heavy'. So this pattern is perfectly normal. The Emergency Contraceptive Pill is very effective in preventing a pregnancy if taken correctly within 72 hours. Your friend took it well within that time, next day. Look at another very important fact - the July period - first day of that period is 5th July. i.e. we call that Day 1. You had contact on Day 6. That is within first 7 days after start of the period. In a normal cycle of 28 days, this contact would fall within the so-called 'Safe Period'. The symptoms most suggestive of pregnancy are nausea and vomiting = 'Morning Sickness'. The symptoms that you write about are not typical symptoms of pregnancy. All in all, as you can see in these circumstances, the chances of pregnancy are very, very rare. I hope that reassures you. However, since your anxiety level is so high, you can always get a pregnancy test done, which is simple home kit based; easily available over-the-counter from any chemist or even at my centre, since your friend is based in my city. I don't think its required but unless that thought of pregnancy is totally erased, it may bother you. Now lets look at and sort out the symptoms of your friend. To me they appear as stress related. I personally think that its not the fact of pregnancy as much as some sort of a deep guilt reaction. Both of you are young and our society forbids something that is very natural, before marriage. Either follow the dictates of the society that you want to live in very strictly OR else, have the courage to live the way you want without allowing guilt to settle in. Its not very easy to explain this but i'll try to help you. Most of the problems that we suffer from arise out of maladjustment - with relationships, people and societal expectations. If you are not mature enough to handle the consequences of premarital sex, then don't indulge in it. Its so simple. Sex can have two medical consequences - pregnancy or infections. Premarital sex has another - guilt. And look how you guys suffer. Either be bindaas about premarital sex, simply to fulfill the natural need of the body; or if you are too conditioned by society, then avoid sex. Understood? There is nothing moral about this at all. You are not 'bad' because of a little 'exploration' but it bothered and worried both of you. If both of you do wish to continue sexual activity, may i suggest, as your consulting doctor, that you prevent both pregnancy as well as infections. This can be done by you using correctly the condom Each Time PLUS your friend going on to the regular contraceptive pill rather than relying of Emergency Contraceptive Pill, which actually disturbs the rhythm of the natural cycle. Ask your friend to take some fibre like Isabgol husk to relieve her constipation. I generally prescribe 2 tablespoons with water at 6 pm daily. If her symptoms are not improved in 2-3 days, please check with a local doctor, who will be able to help further. I hope you are reassured and more empowered with scientific information. Take care. Relax. Dr Nirja Chawla

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Brief Answer: Don't worry..... Detailed Answer: Hello XXXXX, There are so many issues we like to worry about :-) When there is no issue, our mind creates it :-) It seems that being relaxed and happy is not a normal state because human beings find out something or the other to occupy their mind. Try being like the tree or the bird or the stone. They simply exist without worrying. Like i said earlier, if one doesn't know scientific facts then the worry comes but once you have scientific information then why worry? Your friend's symptoms are clearly an anxiety state. Please tell her that the decision to have sexual activity was not yours alone but hers too. If she is not mature enough to handle the consequences of her decision, then she should not take such a decision in the future. For let me warn you that unprotected sexual activity can certainly land you both in a problem some time or the other - either a pregnancy or some infections. You may not always be lucky. I have no moral issues with premarital sex and i'm not here as proxy for your parents. I am your doctor - and my only interest is that you should not have any medical problem connected to immature sexual activity. By 'immature' i mean without taking precautions. Now let me come to the crux - preventing medical problems is my specialty. To my mind, emotional issues are very important too. That is why i directed your attention to the root in my first post. The root of the problem is 'guilt'. Young people are so conditioned in our country against sex that they are made to deny the natural need of the body. If you eat when you are hungry and have sex when you feel like it, is actually the natural way to live. However, our conditionings make it very difficult to overcome the guilt. So please - having understood this facet of human nature, try to understand yourself first. If you feel guilty about sex then please don't have it any more before marriage for the emotional trauma will make your life miserable. I mentioned earlier that if you can be bindaas about it, you could enjoy it after taking adequate precautions. That's the only way..... It may be worthwhile to spend some time in silence with uncluttered mind every day. This helps is finding what's best for your mind-body system which is interconnected. Please pass on these posts for your friend to read also. My centre is on the internet and website is by my full name. However, i'm not in the country just now for a physical consultation. I had recommended my centre, which is open in my absence, only if you desired to get a pregnancy test done since i felt your friend may feel shy to go to a chemist shop to get the kit. My staff is competent to perform this test. This was only if you still wanted to rule out pregnancy, which in my opinion, is not required at this moment. My very best wishes for you. If you have no more queries, please close this discussion and rate the posts. Take care. Dr Nirja Chawla

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