Conceiving on the Pill

[ladybug]

If you are taking your pill every single day and not using antibiotics it is almost impossible to get pregnant on the pill. Most people who say they were using it correctly and got pregnant are usually straight up lying either because: 1) they were scheming and secretly planned this baby without the father's knowledge or 2) they know they weren't taking it properly and don't want to be called irresponsible.

[Chevbowlyn]

I was on the NuvaRing when I conceived my third pregnancy but sadly I also miscarried that baby.

[Chevbowlyn]

If you are taking your pill every single day and not using antibiotics it is almost impossible to get pregnant on the pill. Most people who say they were using it correctly and got pregnant are usually straight up lying either because: 1) they were scheming and secretly planned this baby without the father's knowledge or 2) they know they weren't taking it properly and don't want to be called irresponsible.

Not true. My niece was on the Mirena and she got pregnant but she miscarried the baby. The Mirena had dislodged from it's placement and she started bleeding heavily so she went to the E.R. to get checked out and they said she was pregnant.

[ladybug]

I wasn't talking about a Mirena that could become displaced. I'm talking about about a birth control pill taken 100% correctly. That is completely different...

[blackbetty]

I've heard it is easier to get pregnant on the mini pill because there is no estrogen in it. That said, I've been on the mini pill for almost 9 mos, never missed a pill or taken late. No real scares. I sometimes stress when my period is a few days late but I think that's my new regular. We don't religiously use a backup but I track my ovulation somewhat and we have fun in other ways during that period of time or use condoms... We don't ALWAYS back up, but we do it more often than not. We just really don't want a baby yet.

One pointer - i am not prescribed combo pills anymore so I don't know for sure but I do know that a) the mini pill needs to be taken within 3 hrs of the same time everyday to be effective and the closer to the same exact time, the better (I had fewer side effects this way). Also, b) I wouldn't feel like you HAD to back up unless you took your pill late or had vomiting/diarrhea within the 3 hrs of taking it... I think that's really the only way you can take it correctly and have it fail unless you take something that counteracts it.

[Chevbowlyn]

Is Mirena the one that is a physical barrier, not allowing the egg to implant?

I think so. All I know, it's something I would not recommend. Both my nieces and sister had trouble with it. I've also talked to other women and they had trouble too.

[blackbetty]

Because taking 3 placebos is the same as missing 3 hormone pills... Your body isn't getting the hormone so it says "oh period time!"

[blackbetty]

Because even if you did ovulate before the end of the 7 days, you would be back on the hormones before you could conceive anyway. Your pill basically tricks your body into thinking it's pregnant so when it sheds the lining, it's more like a simulated miscarriage than a period - except you didn't ovulate so it isn't an "abortion" pill. Idk I'm trying to explain it non scientifically, haha I hope it makes sense.

[blackbetty]

I do recommend taking the placebos though because it helps your brain stay in the habit of taking your pill every day. You don't want a baby with someone who doesn't want it too, ya know? I'd be thrilled if I accidentally got pregnant but I take all precautions because my boyfriend isn't ready and I want to have a baby that is wanted and planned when the time is right. I'm on the minipill so I don't have placebos and have to take my pill every day (at exactly the same time: 11:00 PM.)

[blackbetty]

Yep it's normal! If you're still worried, I'd wait a week and take a dollar store test but you're most likely okay

[gypsophila]

Have you looked into Seasonale? You actually have more options available in the US than we have in Canada. My youngest daughter switched from the mini pills to the Mirena, and she's very happy with it. She had trouble remembering to take the pill, so something more permanent was the right decision for her. She hasn't had any troubles with it at all. She doesn't have kids and has never been pregnant.

Also, shocked to hear that Plan B is not universally available there! Here you just ask at any pharmacy, pay, and go. No explanations, nothing.

[gypsophila]

Plan B is a failsafe. In case you forgot a pill, or question the condom or other barrier. It's like having one super high dose of hormone.

How does plan B work? plan B is two pills which you take together. If taken within 72 hours, it prevents pregnancy by doing one of three things:

Temporarily stops the release of an egg from the ovary
Prevents fertilization
Prevents a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus

[gypsophila]

No it doesn't. It is NOT an abortion pill. If you're pregnant, you stay pregnant. It only stops implantation.

[Lady6]

My doctor said she had NEVER had a patient
who she genuinely believed fell pregnant on
the pill because it ''failed'' for no apparent reason.
She said that there is always a reason. And that
it's human error which causes it to fail.

With that being said - I think there are genuine
cases where people can get pregnant while taking
the pill - but it is still human error! For example,
I ended up having serious issues with my stomach while
on the pill, and I was seeing multiple doctors for this issue.
None of them ever told me that the stomach issue
could make my pill ineffective due to it not being absorbed correctly.
I didn't think much of it, seen as the doctors had never mentioned anything.
But I thought I should ask just in case. Luckily I did, because
the doc then told me I shouldn't be on the pill as it
may not work properly. Haha. figures.
But I guess it's also about taking responsibility.

[blackbetty]

What about taking St Johns Wort. anyone do that?

I don't, my BC specifically says not to.

[sleep84]

Is Mirena the one that is a physical barrier, not allowing the egg to implant?

I think so. All I know, it's something I would not recommend. Both my nieces and sister had trouble with it. I've also talked to other women and they had trouble too.

The Mirena is the hormonal IUD, it's a physical barrier plus the hormonal one. There's also a smaller version generally for women who never had kids, it's called Skyla. The Paragard is the copper IUD. That's just mechanical (also chemical because of the copper, but not hormonal).

The Paragard doesn't make you skip periods (usually your period is even heavier and maybe more uncomfortable). The Mirena is also indicated by some doctors if you have problems with endometriosis, heavy flows etc. and it can make you skip periods.
The downside of that, is that if you conceive on it, you don't realize straight away. It means that you may figure out later, if you would want a viable pregnancy the longer you wait to take it out the bigger the chance at a miscarriage. But then again, nothing is written in stone.
If it's misplaced or it shifts in time (rare, but it happens) therefore you conceive, it's not really the method that makes you miscarry, it's the fact that you need to take it out. The sooner the better (for a viable pregnancy). You have a 50-50 chance of miscarriage then. But only if (small chance) your ovary produces an egg. Only if the sperm reaches it. Only if it implants.

Being on the pill, even getting pregnant on the pill doesn't increase the risk of miscarriage.
http://miscarriage.about.com/od/riskfac ... ontrol.htm
Risk of Miscarriage for a Pregnancy Conceived While on the Pill
When used appropriately, most types of birth control pills are considered more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. Yet, sometimes women get pregnant while taking the pill -- such as if they frequently forget to take the pill or if they are using medications that decrease the effectiveness of the pill.
If you are in this situation and plan to keep your baby, you should stop taking the pill immediately -- but there shouldn't be an increased risk of miscarriage or any other problems with the pregnancy due to the accidental exposure. A large 2008 study examined a registry of 92,719 women and found no evidence of increased risk of fetal death in babies exposed to artificial hormones during pregnancy.

Usually people against the pill for spiritual religious beliefs use one "maybe" to say that the BC pill "can cause abortions therefore it's abortifacient". It's the same reason given for the plan B. Let's clear the air about what's CHEMICAL PREGNANCY.
-I don't mean to desrespect those who trying to conceive realize that they have one chemical pregnancy after another and take it badly, if they feel like they lost a baby, I respect any personal feeling about it-

A chemical pregnancy is not an abortion and it's not a miscarriage.
In 50-80% of cases when the sperm reaches the egg the egg does not implant (or VERY shortly after implantation). This could lead to a positive pregnancy test. Without conditions, without any hormonal or barrier BC, in women who try to conceive. This happens normally. It can be because egg adn sperm were not a good fit, it could be because of abnormalities in the egg or the sperm, it can be because of your uterus lining, it can just happen, the fertilized egg doesn't stick.
Women NOT on BC have statistically a higher chance at a chemical pregnancy than women who are on BC.
If you prevent the egg from being there in the first place or the sperm to reach the egg you obviously have lesser chance.

Here's the bummer. Usually I found the sources a little tainted by anti-choice propaganda, but here it is: if you consider the 1% of fallibility of the pill if used correctly, there is a chance that if you conceive the fertilized egg can be shed with the "fake period" that the pill gives you.
That's the only real risk.

[sleep84]

Now, after all that boring stuff, I agree with Lady6, most of the times it's a human mistake. BUT sometimes it's not even your mistake.
Look online for the updated list of meds that can cause interactions. Also be careful if you are gluten intolerant and you use a pill that has gluten additives.
If so, you may want to consider the patch or the ring. When it goes directly into the blood stream.
Remember to ask your doctor for ANY meds that you get prescribed, read carefully the pamphlets of the over the counter ones.

More than one girl I know got pregnant because of a failure.
My friend's doctor (same who prescribed her the BC pill) put her on antibiotics. He forgot to mention the interaction. She avoided the failure because she was single in that moment, but still.
The morning after pill didn't work because it was taken too late (after 12 hours) in someone who was on BC the year before. (high fertility).

A friend of mine got pregnant on the pill because she had a mild intestinal problem and she didn't consider it too be risky, or it wa not that bad, (that's why it's maybe better to take the pill in the evening, unless you get sick at night, after many hours you already absorbed it, so it's safe).
She, however, didn't realize it. She kept taking it for the whole month. Nothing happened, there's no literature that links chemical hormones during pregnancy with higher rates of miscarriage, fetal abnormalities, anything. She has a son, he's as fine as any healthy child can be.

[ladybug]

I guess it just matters if you consider 'life' to be from the moment of conception. So in that case if it 'prevents a fertilized egg from attaching', then it can be seen as an abortion pill.

[gypsophila]

I don't personally know of any women who got pregnant while properly taking BC pills, or the Mirena IUD. I hear a lot of "friend of a friend" anecdotes, but in my wide circle, and my daughter's circles, there have been no accidental unplanned pregnancies. I think these YT moms make it seem like it's so easy, and happens all the time. It doesn't happen when the method used is used 100% correctly. That includes using other forms of BC (condom) when you are on antibiotics or other medications that could interact. It shouldn't be something you're afraid of, as long as you use your method properly. User error is what causes unwanted pregnancies most of the time.

[blackbetty]

I do know of one girl who got pregnant on mirena but it was doctor error. It was inserted incorrectly, it fell out, she went to the dr to have the problem corrected and she was 6 weeks pregnant... Yikes. Most of the people I know of though who had "birth control failure" I honestly wouldn't doubt if they were lying.