Factual medical help needed - sensitive topic

[ImperialBlether]

I'm just plotting out another novel but I am stuck on one thing.

Is there a medical condition which would mean that a woman couldn't have a termination? I have a situation where someone is pregnant and the obvious choice is for her to have a termination (no religious aspect to the novel) but she can't have it.

I was thinking about problems with blood clotting but I'm not sure whether that would mean you couldn't terminate.

Thanks for your help.

[Doinmummy]

Google Von Willebrands disease

[ImperialBlether]

Thanks, Doinmummy; I'll look at that. I'll probably just change the plot a bit if it's going to be too unlikely.

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

If she's found out and is over the legal time limits she'll be unable to have one.

[ImperialBlether]

Yes, that's what I'll go with, I think. Just need to rearrange things a little!

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

Good luck! I think the trick with characters is that the reader should think 'that could be me'. The closer to real life, the better (or this could be how I write so it could be wrong).

[chipmonkey]

Possibly had a bit of spotting around the time of her period, thought she was menstruating and by the time she realised she was pg it was too late?

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

I had a friend who still had periods whilst she was pregnant.

[ImperialBlether]

It's a young girl who's pregnant. I didn't want her to have the choice of abortion (as she would have chosen it) - it was to be a twin pregnancy. However, the problem there was that the pregnancy would be much more obvious as it's twins. By making it a single baby, I can have it that she's left it too late. And yes, I agree, LadyMary, that's what I like to do, too! (Though I have no experience of twin pregnancies or early teens pregnancies!)

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

Have you looked into cases where the woman doesn't know that she's pregnant until she delivers? I've met a lot of teen mums (was a student paeds nurse for a while), their bodies are going through so many changes due to puberty that they just don't notice until their mums spot a growing bump.

[chipmonkey]

More likely to get bleeding in a twin pregnancy though.

[ImperialBlether]

I think that's the way it will play out, LadyMary.

chipmonkey, I think I'll have to avoid the twin pregnancy malarkey as it would be noticed much earlier on.

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

My obs and gynae experience isn't huge but you're welcome to give me a shout if there's anything you need.

[ImperialBlether]

Thanks very much! I pretty much have the back story (with all this in) plotted out but now I have to think of the main story. I hate thinking up the plot - once I have it in my head, even just a sentence, I'm on a roll, but this bit is painful.

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

I like plotting. I'm probably not so great at the writing part though!

[ImperialBlether]

You're not in the NW are you, LadyMary? I'd love to have a good plotting session! I find it much better when I can bounce ideas off someone.

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

I'm in the East Midlands but you know me as a lovely chocolat on twitter!

[ImperialBlether]

Just realised! I didn't know you'd changed your name to this. Just replied to your PM, thanks.