"I'll prescribe you a medication that you will have to take but you are not allowed to get pregnant on the course of the treatment. You will sign a waiver for it later. But if ever you do wish to get pregnant, you better tell me earlier so we can do something about it. Don’t worry, taking that medication will not affect your fertility or whatsoever."
Whenever I'm being asked or being ‘automatically’ linked to pregnancy, it never fails to stun me. It’s the third time that happened to me.
Let's go down the memory lane for a while here.
First was way back senior year high school. I passed out in the church and later vomited (Eiw. I know. Haha.). The prefect of discipline told (or somehow teased me, I guess) me, "Baka buntis ka ah." In my mind, I was like, whuuuttt?! Thank God I didn't vomit on his face after he said that. Haha.
Second was in senior year college. I was late for our community thing and of course, I faked my reason so my instructor asked me to get a medical certificate to prove my ‘reason’. So I headed to the ER Department of UERM Hospital after. I told the resident-on-duty that I had dysmenorrhea and I needed a medical certificate because I was late. Being a nurse and of 'borderline-allowable-age-of-reproductivity' at that time, I know it’s a normal thing (and a protocol) to be asked things like, "Are you sure you’re not pregnant?" "Are you on pills?" "Are you sexually active?" But still!! Haha! Plus, if ever I had an existent sex life at that time, talking about it is just awkward. Haha. Yeah, parang di pa ako nasanay e no? I ask this to patients all the time when I was a student. :p
I know I am of reproductive age and to be sure, doctors generalize that age group. Of course, they don't want to risk their license. And if only I wasn't aware of that protocol, I would have said to my doctor, "Uhh, hello? Child-bearing is sooo way behind my mind so don't worry, your license is safe with me! :D" And given the fact that IT is a normal protocol, it just never fails to still surprise me whenever doctors ask about it. Haha.