I had unprotected sex 5 weeks after delivery and took morning-after pill. Am I safe?

Question

Hello doctor,

I gave birth to my baby six weeks ago, and on the fifth week, I and my partner had unprotected sex. I took the morning-after pill, but because I did not get my period I was worried whether it worked or not. It is been a week and today my first period has started. Does that mean that I am safe and I am not pregnant? Or could there still be a possibility?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

After the delivery, it takes around six weeks for the body physically, hormonally to get back to non-pregnant level. I mean to say that the hormones which were very high during pregnancy will not allow ovulation to occur, that is why you do not get periods during pregnancy. After delivery, if you regularly breastfeed the baby, those hormones do not come back to normal till you stop breastfeeding. Indirectly you do not get pregnant. It is always advised to exclusively breastfeed the baby until four months. A gap between pregnancy will allow you to regain a lot of lost energy and reserves. It is time for this baby to get full care and energy as milk. The next baby will also have good reserves from the mother. But this is not an absolute method of contraception. Many get pregnant even without any periods. But as you had periods it means you are not pregnant. During this period you will need additional contraception like Cu-IUD (copper-T intrauterine devices), or injectable medications, etc., as per your doctors advice. In your case, if you had good bleeding, pregnancy is ruled out.