What are the Chances of Getting Pregnant on Birth Control?

Women have been taking the pill as birth control since the 60′s to help prevent unplanned pregnancies, and while birth control pills are effective at preventing pregnancy in 99% of all cases, there have been rare occurrences where some women have gotten pregnant.


Forget a day or two?

Usually it’s because the she has forgotten to take the pills on one or more days, or even taken it much later in the day that usual.  This can be easy to do especially with today’s busy lifestyles.  To be effective birth control needs to be taken at the same time every day.  Miss a day and you are at a higher risk of conceiving if you are sexually active.

Don’t mix brands

You also shouldn’t mix different birth controls as many of them have different formulations.  That means if you are away you can’t take one of your friends unless she has the exact same brand and prescription as you.

Be aware of other medications you are taking

Another factor that could cause the pill to be less effective is if you are on certain medications like antibiotics, anti-fungal and anti-seizure medications.  Even some herbs and vitamins can interfere with its contraceptive strength.

Check your health

If you are sick, especially if you have severe diarrhea you also might want to use other forms of birth control for a week or two to lower your chances of getting pregnant.

If you suspect that you might be pregnant while taking birth control pills it’s important to see your doctor straight away to find out.  They can take a blood test to find out if you have conceived, or  you can even take an at home pregnancy test yourself if you prefer.

It’s still unlikely that you are pregnant, especially if you have been taking your contraception regularly and on time, but it’s still worth finding out for sure.

However if you want to get pregnant and are wondering when to stop taking the pill then you find more answers at that link.