Many women use the pill for contraception, and although this method is considered 99% effective, many women have doubts and fear associated with the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy. Proof of this is that when searching on Google for the question: can I get pregnant taking contraceptives? The engine produces more than 69 thousand results, among which the queries of women in chats and forums with the same question stand out.
The truth is that there is a lot of information about birth control pills, about how they are taken, how effective they are or how they act on a woman’s body. Being aware of all this is necessary to be mindful of the risks we run and, above all, to learn to differentiate a myth from reality and cut off our nerves in time. If you still do not know in depth how the pill works and you belong to that group of women who have ever wondered: can I get pregnant taking contraceptives? We invite you to continue reading this FastlyHealarticle, where we clarify your doubts and respond to this question.
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Can you get pregnant while taking birth control?
Only 1% keep birth control pills from being 100% effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies, making getting pregnant on the medication very unlikely, but it is possible. Birth control pills usually come with 21 and 7 placebos or 24 tablets and four placebos. The medicines with hormones, better known as active, contain estrogen and progestin: the first hormone prevents the ovary from releasing the eggs. The second makes the cervical mucus much thicker so that the sperm does not find a way to enter the uterus and continue its course.
The effect that both substances exert on the female body makes conception difficult to such an extent that, if the pill is taken correctly and the instructions are followed to the letter, the pregnancy rate is 0.3%. However, when the medicine is not due and taking the pill is forgotten or is not done every day simultaneously, the probability of pregnancy increases between 8% and 15%.
When a woman becomes pregnant taking contraceptives, the most common mistake is forgetting to take the first pill from the new pack after consuming the placebo, since at that point, the body is fully prepared to ovulate, even if it was only one pill without taking, everything in the body is ready to ovulate and conceive.
In the following article, we expand the information about Is the contraceptive pill safe?
Ways to get pregnant taking birth control
To avoid unwanted pregnancy by taking the pill, it is important to recognize certain factors that can influence the effect of the medicine and its effectiveness:
Forgotten pill
As mentioned before, the pills are composed of estrogen and progestin. Therefore, when we forget a tablet, a hormonal imbalance occurs due to the decrease of these substances in the body, which increases the possibility of getting pregnant. . For this reason, when you forget a pill, in addition to taking it immediately when you remember, it is recommended that you use another contraceptive method such as a condom.
The pill should be taken at the same time.
This is the rule that women who use the contraceptive pill most skip. However, this factor is significant depending on the type of hormones and the load of your medicines. When the medications are not combined and only contain progestin, it is vital to take the pill simultaneously. Still, if it is a combined contraceptive, there is a period between 6 and 12 hours to take it, and it remains safe.
The pill and other medications
Many women are unaware that medications interact with the pill and can affect its function. They stimulate the rapid absorption of hormones in the body, leaving the woman unprotected for some time. Antibiotics, some antifungals, and HIV protease inhibitors are some of these medicines.
- John’s Herbs
It is a supplement that contains more than 300 biological species and is used to accelerate the liver’s metabolism, among other functions. The effect that these capsules have on liver function may increase the risk of losing the contraceptive effect of the pill, not to mention that taking them may cause breakthrough bleeding.
Other factors
- It has been on the pill for less than a month.
- They were a woman over 35 and a smoker.
- Change the contraceptive pill.
Tips to increase the effectiveness of the pill
- She prefers contraceptives that come with 24 pills and four placebos since if you forget to take the first or second pill in the pack, ovulation is less likely to occur because not so many days have passed since taking the last dose of hormone. You can also consult with your doctor if you are a candidate for extended cycle contraceptives, those in which the placebo ingestion occurs once every three months and the period only comes four times a year.
- Some experts recommend that, instead of taking one, take two at a time when you forget a pill. Of course, a second contraceptive method should be used whenever two consecutive pills have been forgotten.
- Buy more than one packet of birth control. Having several boxes will allow you to fight to forget the first pill by not buying the next month’s pack on time.
- Every time you go to the doctor, they prescribe you some medicine. You must consult with the specialist about how interaction this remedy can have with your contraceptive pill.
- If you vomit within three hours of taking your pill, there is a risk that you have expelled the medication through vomiting. In those cases, opt for the second method of birth control.
Discover more details about the pill by consulting the article Oral Contraceptives: Frequently Asked Questions.
Factors not involved in the effect of contraceptives
There are many myths about the factors that can interrupt the impact of the pills. Therefore, it is also essential to recognize those that are harmless and do not alter the hormonal concentration:
- No study has proven that being overweight influences the contraceptive effect of the pill.
- Alcohol also does not represent a risk beyond that. It can alter your senses, and you forget to take medicine.
- Grapefruit juice has been shown to interact with over 80 medications negatively. However, therapy is not on that list.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Can, I get pregnant using contraceptives? We recommend that you enter our category of Female reproductive system.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.