Can you get pregnant with the birth control pill?
Can you get pregnant with the birth control pill? Well yes: taking the conception pill - although it is one of the safest methods of contraception - does not completely avoid the possibility of pregnancy. More than one woman has become pregnant while taking the pill ... but why does it happen? What are the risk factors in taking the conception pill that can cause unwanted pregnancy?
First we must remember that the contraceptive pill is a drug that contains two types of hormones (estrogen and progestin), similar to those usually produced by a woman: their purpose is to regulate the activity of the whole. genital system and therefore also of the menstrual cycle. The taking of the contraceptive pill leads to a block of ovulation, inducing the pituitary gland (a gland located at the base of the brain) to stop the ovaries and its hormones.
The contraceptive pill, in addition to blocking ovulation, also modifies the consistency of the mucus produced in the cervical canal, which becomes impenetrable for spermatozoa, in the event that there is a risky intercourse. The mucosa of the uterus is modified by the pill in in such a way as to make the uterus unsuitable for the nesting of the egg, thus avoiding a possible pregnancy.
To be sure not to get pregnant with the pill, it is important to take it once a day for 21 or 28 days, depending on the type of drug that is prescribed to the woman by her gynecologist (do-it-yourself absolutely forbidden!).The 21-day one includes a week off, during which however you remain protected from the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
After understanding how the birth control pill works as a contraceptive method, let's try to understand how it can "fail" in its mission, causing pregnancy.
How can you get pregnant with the birth control pill?
You can get pregnant with the birth control pill in several cases, mainly related to incorrect use of the contraceptive method. First, an unwanted pregnancy could come if you forget to take the pill for a day. We remember, in fact, that the contraceptive pill is effective only if its intake is daily! Forgetting to take it even for just one day could lead to restarting ovulation ...
Another case in which you can get pregnant despite taking the pill is taking the wrong dosage. If you are taking a pill with a low hormone dosage, it may not be effective enough. This is one of the reasons why it is. It is very important that your gynecologist prescribes the most suitable pill for you!
And if the pill is not taken continuously, but suddenly stopped (for no good reason), its validity could be invalidated. If a woman, for example, stops taking it immediately after having an unsafe intercourse, taking the pill in the previous days would certainly not prevent ovulation and, therefore, possible conception.
Finally, it is possible to get pregnant with the pill if there are conditions that prevent it from being absorbed by our body. If, for example, after taking the pill we have episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, we may not have assimilated the hormones, making it completely ineffective. In these cases it will be better to use other contraceptive methods to have sexual intercourse. Also pay attention to possible interactions with other drugs, such as antibiotics: one more reason to always ask your gynecologist for advice before taking it!
If you are starting to take the pill now, also use a condom for your sexual intercourse during the first week of taking it: your body needs at least 7 days to block the pituitary gland and prevent ovulation!
See also: The most suitable sexual positions to get pregnant quickly
I got pregnant with the pill: how can I tell if I'm pregnant?
If you are afraid of getting pregnant despite taking the birth control pill, there is not much you can do other than wait for the right time to take a pregnancy test. Before the test, however, you may already be starting to feel some of the early pregnancy symptoms which, as is well known, vary greatly from woman to woman and may not even be present at all ...
These first signs of a possible pregnancy in progress are an inexplicable sense of tiredness, nausea and hypersensitivity to odors, back pain, abdominal cramps, the presence of implantation losses (not to be confused with the menstrual cycle), gastrointestinal disorders.
Attention, however: some of these symptoms may still be present because they are due to the pill itself, which somehow "deceives" the pituitary gland into believing that you are already pregnant to block ovulation ... So you just have to trust yourself, to be sure you are pregnant, take a pregnancy test. Our video explains which, how and when to do it:
If I get pregnant with the pill, is it possible that there is harm to the fetus?
Did you get pregnant despite the birth control pill and, not knowing it, did you continue to take it? Don't worry: this does not pose a health risk to the fetus! According to the latest research, the hormones taken with the pill would not harm the future baby.
Despite this, however, it is important to stop taking the pill after taking the pregnancy test. If it tested positive, see your gynecologist right away to evaluate all of your options.
