In this article you will learn the following
Can you get pregnant despite being on the pill ? The pill is considered a very reliable contraceptive. For decades, millions of women have been taking the small pill to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Nevertheless, one hears again and again that women became pregnant despite the pill. But is that even possible?
Pregnant despite the pill – Can the contraceptive fail?
The pill is very popular because on the one hand it is well tolerated and on the other hand it promises a very high level of safety.
Indeed it is but the pill is not a 100% guarantee that you cannot get pregnant.
As with all birth control, there is a margin of error. With the pill, this rate is very low. The so-called Pearl Index indicates how safe a contraceptive is. The lower the number, the safer the preparation is. The Pearl Index for the pill is between 0.1 and 0.9. A value of 0.1 means that in one year only one woman in 1000 women will become pregnant despite being on the pill.
The mini pill comes off a little worse. Their Pearl Index is between 0.2 and 3.
How can you get pregnant while on the pill?
There are a few factors that can make the pill less effective, increasing the risk of an unwanted pregnancy. These include:
Forgetting to take the pill:
Depending on how many things are on your mind at the moment, it can quickly happen that you forget to take the pill or do not take it on time ingest.
Unfortunately, it is precisely this forgetfulness that can lead to you becoming pregnant despite the pill. Because the preparation only has a limited duration of action and must therefore be taken again and again. If you forget to take the pill or take the pill two hours later than usual, there is a period of time when you are not protected. If you then have sexual intercourse during this period, you may get pregnant.
That's why you should definitely get used to taking the pill at the same time and possibly set up reminders such as a cell phone alarm.
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Taking other medication:
If you take several medications, so-called interactions can occur. The other supplements affect how the pill works by affecting how well your body can absorb hormones.
This is particularly the case with antibiotics. This type of medication is prescribed for inflammation, among other things. They stop certain functions of the body so that the inflammation can subside. Unfortunately, they also dampen the absorption of hormones, so that you can get pregnant despite being on the pill.
There is a similar risk if you take St. John's wort as a natural antidepressant or activated charcoal to treat stomach and intestinal problems. That's why you should always find out whether certain medications can affect the effectiveness of the pill.
Stomach and intestinal problems:
Some women experience problems in the stomach and intestines when taking the pill. They get diarrhea a few hours after taking the supplement or become so sick that they vomit.
In these cases, the supplement is often flushed directly from the body before it can have any effect, so that you can get pregnant despite the pill. So you either have to take another pill or look for a contraceptive method that is more compatible for you.
Incidentally, illness-related problems with the gastrointestinal tract can also impair the effectiveness of your pill. Therefore, you should be particularly careful during this time if you should have sexual intercourse.
Chronic diseases:
Some chronic diseases such as the intestinal disease Crohn's disease or cystic fibrosis affect your metabolism. The absorption of certain nutrients and hormones is impaired. This also means that you can get pregnant despite being on the pill because your body simply cannot absorb the protective hormones from the preparation.
By the way, this is also the case if you are severely underweight. In this case, too, your body cannot absorb and process the active ingredients from the pill properly.
If you suffer from a chronic illness or are underweight, it is advisable that you speak to a doctor like you is the best way to protect yourself against an unwanted pregnancy.
The pill and cigarettes:
Smoking cigarettes does not directly affect the effectiveness of the pill. However, there can be an interaction between the nicotine and the estrogen in the pill. This increases the risk of thrombosis, i.e. accumulation of blood platelets in your blood vessels, which may tear and block the vessels. A thrombosis can cause serious illnesses such as a heart attack, a stroke or a pulmonary embolism and in some cases even be fatal.
So if you are a smoker, you should seek advice from your doctor as to whether you should possibly use the mini-pill without estrogen for contraception.
Pregnant despite the pill – what are the signs?
If If you are pregnant despite the pill, your body will change. These changes may be subtle, but there are also a few signals that are very telling that something inside you is behaving differently than usual.
However, the absence of menstrual bleeding is not the decisive sign. Because just by taking the mini-pill without estrogen, the period of your rule can be postponed. In some cases, there is no bleeding at all.
If, on the other hand, you notice that you often get dizzy or that you are often tired, then this in connection with the absence of menstrual bleeding can be more of a sign of pregnancy.
Feelings of tightness in your breasts are also usually a clear sign. Because the breasts feel swollen because they are growing due to the hormonal change. If you then have frequent nausea, you can be very sure that you have become pregnant despite the pill.
You can find more early signs of pregnancy here in this article: First signs of pregnancy : This is how you can tell if you are pregnant!
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What to do if you suspect pregnancy?
If you suspect you are pregnant, you should make an appointment with your gynecologist immediately make. You should not take the contraceptive until the examination and you should not have any further sexual intercourse during this time. There are no studies to date that show that taking the pill can cause birth defects in the baby, but it is always advisable to play it safe.
If the doctor confirms that you are actually pregnant should, taking the pill is superfluous anyway. However, it may also turn out that the supposed signs of pregnancy were triggered by a viral infection or an illness.
If this is the case, appropriate treatment can ensure that the illness is cured and the supposed signs of pregnancy return disappear.