Is there a chance of pregnancy?

[pearlotte]

Lately i have been feeling very anxious about a scenario and I have to ask if it poses a real risk or is it in my head.

Two and a half weeks ago I touched something wet/slimy/something on a bathroom door handle. I then proceeded to go wash my hands in the other bathroom, washed them with water and dried to a towel. Then I went back to the same bathroom, now touching the handle again. As it has been this long since the event, I can remember me shielding my hand with like my sleeve, but I'm not sure if it still touched the handle. After all that, I went to the toilet and touched my discharge/cervical mucus that was on the opening of my vagina because I have a habit of keeping track of my discharge. I don't recall like seeing anything visible/wet on the finger that I touched it with.

Now, if the substance would have somehow contained sperm or were semen (I remember it bein yellowish), would this event risk a pregnancy? I am feeling very anxious because my period was due yesterday and it still has not come (but I have been stressed out for the past weeks) and need to know if this is all in my head or a real worry.

[KierC]

Hey there Pearlotte, and welcome to the boards

I’m sorry to hear you’ve been worried about this for the past couple of weeks. I want to say first, the chances of that actually being ejaculate are pretty low, especially the yellowish color, and could be lotion or cleaning agent or soap. However, I hear you that you’re anxious about it being ejaculate, so let’s talk about it!

In the event that that was ejaculate, this situation does not pose a risk to pregnancy. Even if the ejaculate was just placed there, those sperm cells would start dying so quickly on a cool dry doorknob that they simply wouldn’t survive on the doorknob, let alone survive the journey from the doorknob, to your hand, to your vulva. Too, sperm cells need projectile force to get up through the cervix, so it wouldn’t just jump through your cervix on contact with your vulva. Know what I mean?

Intense stress can delay the start date of your period, so I’m suspecting it has more to do with that. I’ll say, though, the day your period starts can naturally vary by a few days (like 3-4), so you may well start your period soon without it being late yet.

How are you feeling about all of this now?

[pearlotte]

Thank you for your reply, I am feeling a bit more relaxed. I think when I remind myself of the facts, I can grasp the fact that this is not a realistic situation to risk a pregnancy but I think when my feelings get a hold, my anxiety makes me forget those and clings on the smallest what if?-s and makes me panic about the worst possible outcome.

I have struggled with these kind of anxieties around pregnancy and the possibilities for now a year, and I just hope that someday I will somehow get over these, most of the times, irrational fears.

But yeah, thank you for your response, I will try to relax and remind myself of the facts, maybe my period will come soon.

[KierC]

Hi Pearlotte,

Ah, I’m sorry to hear you’ve been struggling more generally with pregnancy anxiety. You’re absolutely not alone in this — anxiety is one of those things that can often latch onto material things like sex and pregnancy, and fears about pregnancy happen! Are you feeling more anxious in general, or is it specific to pregnancy?

We do have some resources for pregnancy anxiety that might be helpful for you to take a look at, to start. If you look through those and have some thoughts about where your anxiety might be coming from with this, we’re happy to talk with you more about it and find some tools that might help you feel a bit better

You’re Not Pregnant. Why Do You Think You Are?

Pregnancy Scare Resources

[pearlotte]

Hello, I am back again. The anxiety eased for a bit as my period started, but now it has come back. Mostly because the period has been/was somewhat lighter than usual and only lasted 4 days when I usually have 6/7 day-long periods.
You said that there is no chance, but should I be worried now that my flow has changed? I have notived before that it is prone to stress (I suppose) but it has never affected it this much.

[KierC]

Hey there Pearlotte,

The consistency, amount, and duration of your period can vary a lot, and you’re right that stress can play a role in menstrual changes. Since the activity you described does not pose a risk to pregnancy, you can bet the changes you’re seeing in your period are related to other causes, perhaps stress. But I hear you that your anxiety on this is persisting. Were you able to take a look at those articles I sent on pregnancy anxiety?

[pearlotte]

Hello,

yes I did look at those sites . I just didn't really find anything that would help the anxiety especially because those changes in my period are making me even more panicky.

I do know that I have had these same thoughts & anxities before: last year I spent the whole year fearing and worrying over being pregnant, to the point where I think I even developed many of the symptoms because of my stress. So I know that those events probably made me have an extra risk/proneness (if that even is a word) to anxiety regarding these subjects, but I still don't seem to know how to shake these thoughts off.

[Heather]

Hi there, pearlotte.

It sounds to me like it might then be time for you to seek out mental healthcare around anxiety. If those pieces aren't getting through to your anxious mind, and nothing else is working, then it's probably time to take a step up and seek out help from a therapist.

Is that a kind of care you know how to look into?