Age: 22
Did you have a pregnancy test? no
How was the pregnancy ended? Vitamin C and Dong Quai
Is there anything that clued you in that the herbs might be working before bleeding started? no
Is this your first pregnancy? yes
What was the date of the first day of your last menstrual period? 2/9/03
What was the date when the herbs were started? 3/21
What was the date the pregnancy was terminated? Or, what was the date bleeding started if herbs were successful? 3/23
Were you using birth control? yes
Did you experience any symptoms or signs of pregnancy?
Dosages and Herbs ussed: 1000mg vitamin c every 2 hours 3/21-3/23, 1130mg dong quai (2 capsules) every 4 hours started simultaneously with the vitamin c, then 3 more doses after I stopped taking the vitamin c.
Side effects.
As the days of that week wore on, I became increasingly concerned that I might be pregnant. I hoped that I was only late because I had been dealing with a lot of stress in my life lately, but once I started moving into being one week late, I think I started panicking.
I vaguely knew that women had used herbs in the past to induce abortions, so I decided to check out what herbs they had used to do so, and to, perhaps, use their knowledge to help me (considering that, as a poor college student, I simply haven’t got the means to pay for a $300+ medical procedure). I actually wasn’t completely sure that I wanted to abort this soul that I knew had chosen me, but I have neither the means to raise a child nor do I feel that putting yet another child up for adoption—when there are so many children in the world already who need parents—is an acceptable alternative.
I was conflicted about whether to abort right up until the moment that I bought the herbs. Oddly, once I had purchased the herbs, I no longer felt conflicted, and I knew that this was the best thing I could do. Strange how that works. I hope that one day, when I’m able, I will be a mother; however, now is not that time, and I’m very grateful that I’ve found a place that could help me. As anyone who is reading this can tell, I’m still coming out of a very confusing time, and so my thoughts aren’t quite as coherent as I would like them to be.
Is there anything you would have done differently? I don’t know. Probably not.
Submitted: March 23, 2003
Shared By: Carol
Weight: 130-140
Height: 5’9”
Do you smoke tobacco? no
If no pregnancy test was taken - do you think you were pregnant? Yes
How strongly do you feel this way? Absolutely positive
Would you try herbs again, or recommend them to a riend in the same situation? yes
Do you know the date of fertilizing intercourse? Not precisely What was it? Between 2/21 and 2/28
What was the date you were expecting menstruation? Between 3/10 and 3/14 (cycle irregular)
How many weeks pregnant were you when the herbs were started? 3-4 weeks
For how many days were the herbs used (total)? 2.5
What kind/method of birth control/contraception were you using? condom
Do you know how/why it failed? no
Tenderness of breasts and nipples, darkening of areolas, FREQUENT urination (like you wouldn’t believe), late period
When did they start? I remember realizing my breasts were unusually sore the week my period was due.
How did the herbs affect you?
Any positive effects?
Where there any negative effects? Nausea when taken with water.
Do you have any health problems or issues? Slightly anemic
How did being pregnant make you feel physically? I was only sick with worry, although my breasts did hurt.
If the herbs caused miscarriage -- how did you feel just before bleeding began? I was asleep, so I don’t know.
And when bleeding started - How was the bleeding, cramping, etc? Once the bleeding started, I experienced severe cramping (keep in mind that I usually experience painful cramps during my menses due to the anemia, so I guess in comparison to those, this cramping wasn’t too much worse). The blood itself was stringy (where it is usually thick and congealed), and as of right now, I’m not bleeding heavily.
Your Story – Ironically, my partner and I had been joking about pregnancy in the weeks prior to when I was due to menstruate. The week that I was expecting
my menses, I noticed that my breasts were unusually sore, but I attributed this to premenstrual symptoms, along with the occasional cramping that I experienced.
