How
To Tell That A Woman Is Not Pregnant
A
health care provider usually can tell if a woman is not pregnant by
asking her questions. Pregnancy tests and physical examinations
usually are not needed, they waste resources, and they discourage
clients.
It
is reasonably certain that a woman is not pregnant if:
-
Her
menstrual period started within the last 7 days, OR
-
She
gave birth within the last 4 weeks, OR
-
She
had an abortion or miscarriage within the last 7 days, OR
-
She
gave birth within the last 6 months, is breastfeeding often, and
has not yet had a Menstrual period
If
a women does not fit any of these categories, it is still reasonably
certain that she is not pregnant if:
-
She
has not had vaginal sex since her last menstrual period, OR
-
If
she has had sex since her last menstrual period, she used family
planning correctly and her last menstrual period was less than 5
weeks ago.
If
she has had sex and her last period was 5 weeks ago or more ,
pregnancy cannot be ruled out, even if she used effective
contraception. Has she noticed early signs of pregnancy? If more
than 12 weeks since her last menstrual period, has she noticed later
signs of pregnancy?
Early
signs of pregnancy
Later signs of pregnancy
Late
menstrual period
Larger breasts
Breast
tenderness
Darker nipples
Nausea
More vaginal discharge
Vomiting
Enlarged
abdomen
Weight
change
Movements of a baby
Always
tired
Mood
changes
Changed
eating habits
Urinating
more often
If
she has had several of these signs, she may be pregnant.
Try
to confirm by physical examination.
If
her answers cannot rule out pregnancy, she should either have a
laboratory pregnancy test, if available, or wait until her next
menstrual period before starting method that should not be used
during pregnancy. A provider can give her condoms or spermicide to
use until then, with instructions and advice on how to use them.
