Bi-monthly Preg Tests - Good idea?

LegacyUser

Hello,

Me and my gf currently have a system of getting a pregnancy test kit every two weeks and just testing, isn't much hassle and puts our mind at ease. We use condoms alone as the pill doesn't agree with her.

Is this good practice. The Tesco tests are very cost effective at a fiver for two so on that side its not bad. They are 'midstream' tests so < 25 mIU/ml hCG sensitivity which is an average test sensitivity, or so I believe.

Just wondering if this is good practice? Obviously apart from a girl missing her period, there is no other way to know, before it is too late. I do not trust any of the 'classic' symptoms to appear :P

Thanks.

seamus

Bashful65 wrote: »

Just wondering if this is good practice? Obviously apart from a girl missing her period, there is no other way to know, before it is too late. I do not trust any of the 'classic' symptoms to appear :P

Strictly speaking, once you have detected a pregnancy it is already too late. I'm not really sure why you think that pregnancy tests are a birth control method. If you get a positive test, you will need to get a chemical abortion. Legal issues aside, this can possibly incur some emotional stresses and strains that you didn't figure beforehand. It will also incur financial costs.

I don't really know why you consider this to be necessary. If she is generally regular, then you will know very early on that something is amiss. A pregnancy test offers nothing extra except a few days' warning.

If pregnancy is something which would be a very bad thing at the moment, then you should look at other contraceptive methods, such as an IUD or diaphragm, in addition to the condom.

C-J

This is totally crazy! Why not use the money you spend on pregnancy tests for your girlfriend to get the patch/injection/mirena etc. What you are doing is not birth control, if you get a positive test you're already pregnant. There are so many options other than the pill so its no excuse. Taking a test every two weeks is mentally draining and absurd!

Morag

If the pill is not an option and neither is the patch, nuva ring, impallon or IUS then I'd suggest she talk to her dr or a family planning clinic about a diaphragm.

Or you can by ovulation decation kits to know if she is ovulating and abstain for those few days and use condoms the rest of the time. There's one call the persona which most boots have.

Neyite

I would agree with Sharrow. I dont get why you would use pregnancy tests when you could use ovulation prediction testing instead, or the Persona system, or she could chart her cycle, and you could abstain during fertile days. You can get cheap dip tests on ebay or the like.

If she has issues with hormonal methods, then you not only are leaving it far too late to get the morning after pill, but since its also hormonal based, your girlfriend probably wont be able to take it either. What then?

LegacyUser

I am not exactly using these tests as a form of contraception, just to put my mind at ease. Its my idea, not hers, she thinks its silly as 'she would know when she is pregnant'.

Please stop attacking me, I didn't explain fully. She was on Cerazette but was having pretty unpleasant side effects and we are pretty sure she has a cyst from it which is clearing up.

She is planning to go back to her GP and try a new pill (Femulen probably, we have researched this extensively). She doesn't want to do this until the cyst is gone and she feels 100% again.

The only reason I really used the pregnancy tests was in case we had to get a chemical abortion as I have heard that spotting can be misread as a period after getting pregnant, so one catches it too late. Weirder things have happened.

I will investigate the diaphragm and those other non-hormonal methods.

I do not agree that condoms are not a fair contraceptive on their own. Of course we would like a backup of a hormonal contraceptive, but that is not possible yet.

username123

Bashful65 wrote: »

She was on Cerazette but was having pretty unpleasant side effects and we are pretty sure she has a cyst from it which is clearing up.

She is planning to go back to her GP and try a new pill (Femulen probably, we have researched this extensively). She doesn't want to do this until the cyst is gone and she feels 100% again.

I dont want to repeat what other posters have said and therefore have you feel you are being attacked, but I agree that all this pregnancy testing is ridiculous, if you are that worried then do not have penetrative sex at all!!

On the bit Ive quoted above, you guys being pretty sure is not a medical diagnosis and I would suggest your GF gets to a GP sooner rather than later if she or you suspects that she has a medical issue like a cyst, Ive no idea how you guys have arrived at this diagnosis (maybe google?), but there is little point in avoiding a GP until she feels 100% again when going to a GP will actually produce a proper diagnosis and treatment if necessary! There may also be an alternative contraception that can be prescribed by a GP despite issues with previous contraceptions. Im not sure why you or your GF feel qualified to pick a pill for her based on your own internet research - I am assuming neither of you are doctors?

I honestly think you are overthinking the pregnancy/early signal/abortion situation. There is always a risk of pregnancy and you and your GF need to decide what to do in case this happens. You seem to have your mind set on frequent pregnancy tests followed by a chemical abortion if she becomes pregnant - are you sure that she would go along with this, seeing as she already thinks you are silly for the frequent pregnancy tests?

I presume you are also aware that pregnancy tests can give false negatives (far far more commonly than false positives)?

In short I think you both need to stop playing doctor, stop relying on your own non professional medical diagnosis, stop this practice of frequent pregnancy testing, and get proper contraception sorted out. Its altogether too much stress and worry about your sex life and pregnancy - its totally unnecessary if you would just get contraception sorted.

Killed By Death

A pregnancy test will only work once a month so you are wasting your money on two.

The ones currently on the market test for the hCG hormone which is the hormone produced by a fertilized egg. The egg doesn't even get released until day 14 so testing before then is a complete waste of time and money.

The tests are only useful at the earliest three/four days before a due period and even then they may not pick up the hormone. If a test does come up positive then the pregnancy will already be approx. 10 days old, too late for the morning after pill if that's what you think chemical abortion is.

I'm afraid you are wasting your money.

tinkerbell

OP, you are being ridiculous. Insisting your gf gets a pregnancy test twice a month is crazy, that is way too obsessive. It sounds to me like you should not be having sex at all if you are that paranoid about pregnancy. How do you think she feels being forced to have a pregnancy test twice every month as well as worry about her period coming on time. That is way too much stress and way too crazy.

Like others have said, what do you mean "chemical abortion" - you mean the Morning After Pill or an actual abortion? If referring to the MAP, then it only works up to 72 hours after the event.

I agree with the other poster with this whole self-diagnosis. I am assuming you nor your gf are in the medical field because I can't imagine anyone with a med background thinking that pregnancy tests twice a month is necessary. Therefore your gf needs to go to a GP and discuss her options with her doctor. I find it a little odd that you seem to have such a big influence on what your gf should be taking. I may be jumping to the wrong conclusion, but I don't think it's appropriate. Your gf is putting these extra hormones into her body, it should be her that decides what she will take, not you. If she's not mature enough to do this research herself then she's not mature enough to be having sex either.

woodchuck

I think people here are being a little harsh, but the core message is right.

Aside from it not being medically necessary, it can’t be good from a psychological point of view. Doing a pregnancy test every 2 weeks would be very emotionally stressful and doing it that often means that you’re bound to get a false positive at some point, which will just put you both through even more unnecessary anguish.

You said your girlfriend thinks it’s ‘silly’… if she doesn’t want to do it you shouldn’t put that pressure on her. She should obviously go to her GP about this cyst you’re talking about and while she’s there she can discuss alternative contraception if she wants to. But it should be up to HER what she wants to do with her own body.

LegacyUser

Bashful65 wrote: »

The only reason I really used the pregnancy tests was in case we had to get a chemical abortion

Whats this we business? It won't be you having to ingest a bunch of chemicals into their system, it's your GF. Have you thought about her health and emotional state at all? I am very much pro-choice but also very aware that a medical abortion is not just a magic make everything better pill with no side effects or lasting issues.

Also in your extensive research on the topic you didn't think to speak to the many family planning groups out there because if you did you'd be aware that most clinics in the UK are NOT able to provide the abortion pill/chemical abortion for Irish women.

Rather then wasting your time getting discounted over the counter home pregnancy kits and looking up rubbish on the internet why don't you educate yourself correctly by speaking to your GP and/or a family planning group about birth control options and if your still not happy you might consider not having sex until your mature enough to do so or consider vasectomy for yourself.

Neyite

I think in light of your updated post, that it does make sense to check for pregnancy as soon as a period is missed, rather than go by your girlfriend "knowing" she would be pregnant. If she has never every been pregnant, how can she know?

I spent over 2 years trying for a baby so peed on every kind of stick going over that time. Still, having being very attuned to my body and cycle during that time, the only symptom I ever had was a missed period+ positive pregnancy test. I never got sick, never "felt" pregnant, or any other symptom. Some women continue to have periods throughout their pregnancy. Everything and nothing can be a symptom if you get me.

I am now halfway through pregnancy (nearly 22 weeks), and baby is well established in there and kicking away, and apart from a rather fetching tummy protruding, and movement, I still dont "feel" pregnant. Yet I could be as sick as a dog on the next pregnancy. Every woman will tell you that every single pregnancy they had is different in every way.

Having said that, if you continue testing, would be better off to test the day she thinks her period is due, and then again in another week, (to allow for late ovulation) rather than bi-weekly.

I'm not sure what you mean by a chemical abortion so will include the following:
A chemical pregnancy is when the test is positive, and followed by a period (and subsequent negative tests) this means that the egg fertilised but didnt implant, and uterus clears itself of the lining that was there in case a pregnancy occured via a period.
A chemical abortion: do you mean post coital such as the Morning After Pill? if so, taking it more than 72 hrs after possible conception is too late. If you mean a chemical process of removing a confirmed pregnancy, (early abortion) then its a trip to the UK, which you have the option of doing up to 10 weeks as far as I recall. You would have about 6 weeks after a positive test in that case to make travel arrangments.

In doctor terms, a pregnancy is counted from the first date of the last period, so even on the day of the missed period, the woman is approx 4 weeks pregnant in "doctor speak" In real terms, fertilization occured approx 14 days prior to the missed period and therefore the woman is 2 weeks pregnant.
For instance in my pregnancy:
My last period was 6th August.
Ovulated 19th August. Fertilized.
(as I was under supervision of fertility clinic I know exactly the date of ovulation - if it was not medically managed it could be as earlier or later in cycle)
2 Sept. Missed period and postive test. 14 days past ovulation exactly and officially 4 weeks pregnant on this date.

It can take a while to find a contraceptive pill that suits the woman taking it so she needs to work with her doctor on this, and be pro-active about her reproductive health. If she thinks she has cysts - it needs to be checked out!!! Cyber diagnosis is ridiculous, and frankly its irresponsible of her not to get a doctors diagnosis and treatment. What if the next pill prescribed causes these "cysts"? or the one after that?

Between condom usage and insisting on the pregnancy tests here, you seem to be the only one trying to be responsible for contraception in your relationship. Are you sure she doesnt want to get pregnant accidentally deep down? Because back in the days when I absolutely didnt want to get pregnant that meant protecting me with the pill or some sort of hormonal protection, plus using a condom or abstaining entirely, (despite a condom) when I felt there was a risk such as sloppy pill usage.

LegacyUser

By 'we are pretty sure' she has a cyst, I meant her GP is pretty sure she has a cyst, but cannot be sure until she gets an ultrasound, that she was referred for. I love how everyone assumes that we haven't been to a GP before even asking for gods sake.

By chemical abortion, I do not mean the MAP as that is not an abortion technically, I mean the pills used for an abortion up to 7 weeks. Yes she would be 100% up for this and I wouldn't be forcing anything on her, as has been suggested here.

I now see that those pregnancy tests are a futile idea. That's ok. Also, I wasn't forcing her to take one (She had no problem taking them, just thought it was pointless) and there was no emotional stress from taking them, jesus i'ts just a simple test.

I won't be buying anymore of those tests, still carefully using condoms and hopefully some new hormonal contraception can be used in a couple of months. Now I obviously have to make everything CRYSTAL clear to everyone so by hopefully I mean if she agrees, wants to, no pressure, GP involved....

LegacyUser

Bashful65 wrote: »

I am not exactly using these tests as a form of contraception, just to put my mind at ease. Its my idea, not hers, she thinks its silly as 'she would know when she is pregnant'.

Please stop attacking me, I didn't explain fully. She was on Cerazette but was having pretty unpleasant side effects and we are pretty sure she has a cyst from it which is clearing up.

She is planning to go back to her GP and try a new pill (Femulen probably, we have researched this extensively). She doesn't want to do this until the cyst is gone and she feels 100% again.

The only reason I really used the pregnancy tests was in case we had to get a chemical abortion as I have heard that spotting can be misread as a period after getting pregnant, so one catches it too late. Weirder things have happened.

I will investigate the diaphragm and those other non-hormonal methods.

I do not agree that condoms are not a fair contraceptive on their own. Of course we would like a backup of a hormonal contraceptive, but that is not possible yet.

I understand people being critical of the OP with his use of "we", as it is his girlfriend's body we are talking about when talking about pregnancy and abortion. However, I think he is actually trying to be responsible here. He needs to be educated about tests and MAPs ect, that is obvious, but he can't rely on his gf as she seems to think that she will know when she is pregnant. (I'm still not sure if that is meant to be a replacement for hormonal contraception?)

OP, get your gf to a gp/family planning clinic and don't rely on condoms alone.

tinkerbell

Bashful65 wrote: »

I now see that those pregnancy tests are a futile idea. That's ok. Also, I wasn't forcing her to take one (She had no problem taking them, just thought it was pointless) and there was no emotional stress from taking them, jesus i'ts just a simple test...

How do you reckon there's "no emotional stress" from taking a pregnancy test? You really are showing your ignorance relating to how taking a pregnancy test twice a month plus waiting for her period to arrive will cause stress on anyone.

username123

Bashful65 wrote: »

By 'we are pretty sure' she has a cyst, I meant her GP is pretty sure she has a cyst, but cannot be sure until she gets an ultrasound, that she was referred for. I love how everyone assumes that we haven't been to a GP before even asking for gods sake.

You never mentioned she was already under a GPs supervision and considering you were asking if bi weekly pregnancy tests were a good idea or not it seemed a pretty safe assumption that no GP was involved.

Bashful65 wrote: »

By chemical abortion, I do not mean the MAP as that is not an abortion technically, I mean the pills used for an abortion up to 7 weeks. Yes she would be 100% up for this and I wouldn't be forcing anything on her, as has been suggested here.

Its 9 weeks and its not available in Ireland and most UK clinics will not prescribe it to Irish women.

Bashful65 wrote: »

I now see that those pregnancy tests are a futile idea. That's ok. Also, I wasn't forcing her to take one (She had no problem taking them, just thought it was pointless) and there was no emotional stress from taking them, jesus i'ts just a simple test.

There would definitely be emotional stress taking a pregnancy test twice a month while also waiting for a period, its a stressful thing if youre a woman.

Bashful65 wrote: »

I won't be buying anymore of those tests, still carefully using condoms and hopefully some new hormonal contraception can be used in a couple of months. Now I obviously have to make everything CRYSTAL clear to everyone so by hopefully I mean if she agrees, wants to, no pressure, GP involved....

Glad its all straightened out for you!

saa

It sounds like you have things sorted OP, getting another form of contraception and you've stopped buying the pregnancy tests.

It seems like you're very stressed about having to catch a pregnancy immediately but even a chemical abortion is not easy and as long as you're careful between now and when you're sorted for another form of contraception the chances of becoming pregnant are not something to stress about.

Just don't become just as stressed because there are no tests anymore.

Oh and I almost forgot if the condom does break or slip off the morning after pill is so easy to get, your GP, boots and plenty of other chemists, so at this stage abortion shouldn't be on your mind you sound like you've been very cautious.

LegacyUser

Thanks saa that was basically what I was trying to say and the type of response I was looking for. Not being attacked and feeling my gf was attacked from some replies (even though she wasn't on the forum!).. Next time I post in personal issues I'll try be clear so as to not cause you all so much offense as it seems I have done here!!

Taltos

As the OP's original question regarding pregnancy tests has been answered we are closing this thread.

OP if you require it to be reopened please contact one of the Mods.

Taltos