Being Pregnant
Woman Continues to Get Pregnant Despite Contraception
For many women, getting a positive pregnancy test is a dream come true. It may have taken months or even years to conceive a child and finally they are getting results that they have long awaited for.
For Gemma Potter, the last thing she wants to see is a plus sign on her pregnancy test. The 23-year-old mother from Essex, England has been pregnant seven times in the past six years, despite using several forms of contraception. Some are even coining her and her husband, Glenn, “the most fertile couple in the entire world.”
Potter and her husband have tried various forms of contraception including condoms, the Pill, the coil, progestogen injections and an implant. Despite the contraception, Potter has gotten pregnant seven times, three of which resulted in miscarriage. Potter, who is currently pregnant with her fourth child, has seen several doctors, none of which are taking her situation seriously.
Not only is her fertility problem affecting her life, but it has affected both her marriage and her social life. She told The Sun, ”I can’t stop getting pregnant. I love my kids but I don’t want more. I can’t go out with my friends or have a drink as I’m constantly pregnant. I’ve also missed out on having a job or any career.”
While I understand Potter might have tried various forms of birth control methods, I don’t think that she has fully gone to the extent that she can if she really wants to stop getting pregnant. To my knowledge, her husband has not consulted a doctor regarding a vasectomy, a permanent form of birth control. There are also other methods of birth control for women that she hasn’t tried including an intrauterine device (IUD) or a more permanent method of tubal ligation.
I am very sympathetic to the fact that she has experienced the losses during her pregnancy. No matter how far along you are in pregnancy, dealing with a miscarriage is heartbreaking.
I do find it hard to feel sorry for her if she hasn’t fully exhausted all of her options. My husband and I have had no problem conceiving our children. In fact, I got pregnant with my first daughter while using the birth control pill. Although I thought that I was using the pill correctly, I was not and it resulted in a pregnancy. For my second child, I knew that the birth control pill wasn’t going to be an effective method, so I opted for the IUD. If that didn’t work, I would have tried something else.
If she and her husband both truly want to stop getting pregnant, why not opt for a more permanent method of birth control?
What are your thoughts?
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9 Comments
mrs.d commented on Dec 20 11 at 6:44 pmI agree. If she wasn’t ready for children, it would be one thing – but with the fourth on the way, if I was in her situation, I would definitely be option for a permanent method – whether it be tubal litigation or vasectomy.
Jennifer I commented on Dec 20 11 at 7:14 pmI don’t know that thinking of a permanent option is fair, unless they really DON’T want any more kids. Maybe they do want more kids, but not right now. Maybe RIGHT NOW, at 23, she is surprised to be expecting her 4th. 10 years from now, she’d be thrilled, but if she HAS been using these methods correctly as prescribed, then she has lost out on a lot of her life too.
It’s hard to know if she’s doing everything correctly, we don’t have that info. So I find it hard to say she hasn’t tried multiple options, especially when a number of those options are supposed to prevent pregnancy 99% of the time.
You say she needs to try an IUD, it says that she had an implant, but didn’t specify which one, so maybe she has.
IF she has used these methods correctly and DOESN’T want a permanent method, I do feel sorry for her. It sucks that you can’t go out and have the life you planned, when you WERE being careful. It also sucks not to have relations with the man you married because…there is a really good chance you’ll get pregnant again before you want to.
Samone commented on Dec 20 11 at 7:15 pmI too agree. I would also ask if they are using the birth control methods properly. Most women don’t know how to use most methods correctly. Also if she really that unhappy she would have went with a permanent solution after the 3rd time she got pregnant.
Kel commented on Dec 21 11 at 1:10 amGet one tube tied? Cut her fertility in half but leave the option open :)
gemma commented on Dec 21 11 at 9:09 amhi this story is about me and unfortunly some of the information is very wrong , i have fallen pregnant on contraption . you cant really not use a implant injection and coil propley. this is a very long story and quite complicated , i have tried to get my tubes tied but been turned fown twice also they wont consider my husband till his 27 which is in may . again im very dissappointed with facts thats have been missed out and things that have been put in which i havent said, also this is my 8th pregancy in five years not six , so you can see just how accurate they have been x
Rhonda commented on Dec 21 11 at 1:55 pmSince I’ve been trying to get pregnant for over a year my first thought is not a nice one. However I would guess that she is probably exceptionally fertile and that she is not correctly using these forms of birth control. I don’t feel sorry for her at all to be honest.
TS commented on Dec 21 11 at 4:17 pmShe’s not using her birth control correctly – end of story.
I feel no pity for her.
Mya Maternity commented on Dec 23 11 at 5:37 pmI agree. Why doesn’t she have her tubes tied or something more permanent.
Sarah commented on Jan 01 12 at 8:22 pmLet’s not be so unsupportive here ladies!
If she has had a progesterone injections or implants, that’s something a doctor would put in, so it’s not her fault if it doesn’t work. Most doctors would not want to perform a permanent form of sterilization on such a young woman (or man) so I expect the most effective methods of contraception are not yet available to this couple.
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