DR. WALLACE: I got pregnant when I was 15 years old, and my parents and I decided to terminate that pregnancy at that time.
Now, I’m 21 and a happily married lady who is ready to have a child or two to start a family with my husband.
However, in the back of my mind, I’m now worried about my ability to have children. Will my past abortion have an effect on me now trying to get pregnant in order to expand our young family? — Worried about fertility, via email
WORRIED ABOUT FERTILITY: It is actually physically possible for a woman to become pregnant on the very next ovulation cycle following an abortion.
Your fertility should not affect your ability to get pregnant, but it would be wise to consult with your family doctor to have all of your specific questions answered by a medical professional. He or she can guide you through what to expect going forward and will also hopefully ease your mind regarding the concerns you currently have.
IS IT OK FOR MY ADULT SON TO CONTINUE LIVING WITH ME?
DR. WALLACE: My adult son is 26 years old and still lives at home! He does have a job and he even has a steady girlfriend but has never moved out on his nor even talked seriously about it.
Is this normal these days? Should I ask him to leave at a fixed date in the future, like his 27th birthday, which is in June? I never dreamed my son would stay living at our family home so long. — Surprised mother, via email
SURPRISED MOTHER: First of all, I of course do not know all about your family’s particular current living situation dynamics and finances. I think it’s fine to have a conversation with your son about what his future plans are and discuss him moving out at some point, but I’d advise against setting a firm arbitrary date for this purpose.
It sounds as though you may want him to leave, and I don’t know if it’s for financial reasons — perhaps burdens on your end, or if it’s just that you would like to encourage him to take on more responsibility. In any case, have open and honest discussions about this topic in a nonjudgmental way.
This will bring the topic to the forefront of everyone’s mind and all parties can speak more directly about the implications both present and future.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
