ahh...that makes so much more sense! :) I think I can help provide you with some information...
We can really only count any type of activity (unprotected sex, bleeding, symptoms) after the date of your IUD removal on October 15th. The bleeding you experienced on Oct. 10th was most likely not implantation bleeding, as the IUD is about 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, so we can't "count" on this.
So, October 15th you had your IUD removed, and your last "period" was Sept. 26th. Again, we can't really count this as a period, because women do not actually have a period when using hormonal contraception. The bleeding that occurs when using synthetic hormones is from "withdrawal bleeding" of the hormones, not an actual menstrual period.
Your doctor is correct that you could, technically, become pregnant right away when you stop using hormonal contraception; when you have your IUD removed. However, the other side of the story is that it can also take a few months for your cycles to become more predictable, to begin ovulating and to have a menstrual period. The IUD is effective at preventing pregnancy because it prevents ovulation, and since you were using it for 2 years, it is unknown when your body when begin the ovulation process again. For some women, it can be immediate...others it can take some time. Plus, you have a history of irregular periods, so that also causes more confusion (unfortunately).
Best case scenario: you had your IUD removed Oct 15th, had unprotected sex Oct 16th, and began ovulating Oct 20th (just for hypothetical-situation). Today is Oct 27th, and you would not even be pregnant yet! From the date of ovulation to the fertilized egg implanting in your uterus...this process takes from 10-14 days. (The sperm fertilizes the egg in the fallopian tube, and it takes a while for the fertilized egg to travel from your fallopian tube down to your uterus, and then for it to burrow into the thick lining of your uterus).
This all makes sense when you think about the timing: ovulation occurs approximately two weeks before a menstrual period (this varies greatly, but is an average). It takes 10-14 days (two weeks) for implantation to occur (when a "viable pregnancy" happens), and is about the time of an expected period. Also the time a home pregnancy test would first be able to detect any pregnancy hormones (this is because only once the egg is implanted does it signal to your body to begin producing the "pregnancy hormones", which are then detected on a test).
Whew...are you still with me?
What makes it more confusing for you is that you have just been recently off of synthetic hormones, and most experts say to wait 2-3 months after stopping the pill, IUD, ring, etc before trying to conceive. This is because it can take your body this long to begin its cycle of producing natural hormones to start-up your ovulation process (the IUD had been suppressing this natural process with the synthetic hormones...it's quite amazing!!).
During this 2-3 month time, it is recommended to "have fun" with your partner, and you can begin tracking your symptoms (cervical mucus changes, PMS-type symptoms you mentioned, etc) to learn where in your cycle your body is. I can send you information on how to track/predict ovulation if you would like.
I hope this helps...I have been in your exact same shoes (I have a 3 year old son, and was trying to conceive our second baby for months!), and know how frustrating it is! You question and analyze and evaluate every sign and symptom, and having an irregular cycle does not help. Hopefully you can enjoy spending some intimate time with your husband, and know that it can take 6-12 months to conceive (I was surprised...it took us 5-6 months, and I really thought it would be instantaneous!). Plus, each month you "only" have a 20% chance of conception...can you believe it is that low? That's why the experts say to just relax, have fun, don't analyze too much and have sex every-other day (or as often as you can), regardless of when you are in your cycle.
The symptoms you describe are most likely not pregnancy; it is too early for those symptoms even if you do have a fertilized egg making its way to your uterus. It takes most women being pregnant about 4 weeks to notice any real signs; other women notice within 2 weeks (you would only be pregnant a day or two, at best). The symptoms may be hormone-related, and could be PMS or your body going through its normal cycle.
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ahh...that makes so much more sense! :) I think I can help provide you with some information...
We can really only count any type of activity (unprotected sex, bleeding, symptoms) after the date of your IUD removal on October 15th. The bleeding you experienced on Oct. 10th was most likely not implantation bleeding, as the IUD is about 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, so we can't "count" on this.
So, October 15th you had your IUD removed, and your last "period" was Sept. 26th. Again, we can't really count this as a period, because women do not actually have a period when using hormonal contraception. The bleeding that occurs when using synthetic hormones is from "withdrawal bleeding" of the hormones, not an actual menstrual period.
Your doctor is correct that you could, technically, become pregnant right away when you stop using hormonal contraception; when you have your IUD removed. However, the other side of the story is that it can also take a few months for your cycles to become more predictable, to begin ovulating and to have a menstrual period. The IUD is effective at preventing pregnancy because it prevents ovulation, and since you were using it for 2 years, it is unknown when your body when begin the ovulation process again. For some women, it can be immediate...others it can take some time. Plus, you have a history of irregular periods, so that also causes more confusion (unfortunately).
Best case scenario: you had your IUD removed Oct 15th, had unprotected sex Oct 16th, and began ovulating Oct 20th (just for hypothetical-situation). Today is Oct 27th, and you would not even be pregnant yet! From the date of ovulation to the fertilized egg implanting in your uterus...this process takes from 10-14 days. (The sperm fertilizes the egg in the fallopian tube, and it takes a while for the fertilized egg to travel from your fallopian tube down to your uterus, and then for it to burrow into the thick lining of your uterus).
This all makes sense when you think about the timing: ovulation occurs approximately two weeks before a menstrual period (this varies greatly, but is an average). It takes 10-14 days (two weeks) for implantation to occur (when a "viable pregnancy" happens), and is about the time of an expected period. Also the time a home pregnancy test would first be able to detect any pregnancy hormones (this is because only once the egg is implanted does it signal to your body to begin producing the "pregnancy hormones", which are then detected on a test).
Whew...are you still with me?
What makes it more confusing for you is that you have just been recently off of synthetic hormones, and most experts say to wait 2-3 months after stopping the pill, IUD, ring, etc before trying to conceive. This is because it can take your body this long to begin its cycle of producing natural hormones to start-up your ovulation process (the IUD had been suppressing this natural process with the synthetic hormones...it's quite amazing!!).
During this 2-3 month time, it is recommended to "have fun" with your partner, and you can begin tracking your symptoms (cervical mucus changes, PMS-type symptoms you mentioned, etc) to learn where in your cycle your body is. I can send you information on how to track/predict ovulation if you would like.
I hope this helps...I have been in your exact same shoes (I have a 3 year old son, and was trying to conceive our second baby for months!), and know how frustrating it is! You question and analyze and evaluate every sign and symptom, and having an irregular cycle does not help. Hopefully you can enjoy spending some intimate time with your husband, and know that it can take 6-12 months to conceive (I was surprised...it took us 5-6 months, and I really thought it would be instantaneous!). Plus, each month you "only" have a 20% chance of conception...can you believe it is that low? That's why the experts say to just relax, have fun, don't analyze too much and have sex every-other day (or as often as you can), regardless of when you are in your cycle.
The symptoms you describe are most likely not pregnancy; it is too early for those symptoms even if you do have a fertilized egg making its way to your uterus. It takes most women being pregnant about 4 weeks to notice any real signs; other women notice within 2 weeks (you would only be pregnant a day or two, at best). The symptoms may be hormone-related, and could be PMS or your body going through its normal cycle.
Please keep us updated!
October 27, 2009 - 1:46pmThis Comment
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