The Pill and Pregnancy
Since its inception, the birth control pill has become one of the most popular methods of birth control in North America. It is used by more than 16 million American women and 60 million women worldwide.
Not surprisingly, though, many women taking the pill worry about how it can affect pregnancy. How many women get pregnant while taking the pill? Can the pill interfere with fertility? Before you begin taking the birth control pill, it is a good idea to become as informed as possible about the pill and pregnancy.
What is the Birth Control Pill?
The birth control pill was introduced in North America in the 1960s. It is a once-daily pill that helps to prevent pregnancy, thus allowing women more control over their own fertility.
Birth control pills contain a combination of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones work to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation.
Without ovulation, fertilization and pregnancy cannot occur. The pill is highly effective and there are numerous types of birth control pills available on the market today.
Birth Control Pill Derivatives
In the past years, researchers have developed alternatives to the birth control pill, which also use estrogen and progesterone to prevent pregnancy.
The birth control patch is as a transdermal adhesive that can be applied to your skin. The patch then releases hormones into your bloodstream to prevent ovulation.
The birth control ring is a soft, flexible device that is placed inside your vagina. Like the patch, this ring also releases hormones that work to stop ovulation. These contraceptives are also highly effective and becoming very popular.
Birth Control Failure Rates
Unfortunately, the pill and its derivatives are not 100% foolproof when it comes to pregnancy. Average failure rates are:
- Birth Control Pill: 2 in 100
- Birth Control Patch: 1-2 in 100
- Birth Control Ring: 1-2 in 100
The birth control pill, ring, and patch can be up to 99.9% effective, if taken perfectly. However, few women are able to take the pill perfectly, forgetting to take the pill at the same time everyday or skipping a day accidentally. For this reason, average failure rates for the birth control pill are higher. The pill, patch, and ring can be compromised for a variety of different reasons.
Factors Affecting Birth Control
The pill, patch, and ring can become less effective if they are taken with certain medications. The antibiotic Ramifiren, certain antifungal medications, specific antiseizure medicines, and St. John's Wort can all reduce the effectiveness of these forms of birth control
Taking the pill, patch, or ring incorrectly can also impair their effectiveness.
| Table of Contents |
|---|
| 1. Pregnancy and the Pill |
| 2. Going off the PIll |
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i am always hearing women talk about how afraid they are that they won't be able to get pregnant because they spent years on the birth control pill. this just doesn't make any sense to me because i hear all the time about women who get pregnant while on the pill when they don't take the pill right. most doctors say that a woman should have no problem getting pregnant after three months of going off the birth control pill because after that amount of time your normal cycle should be back. they say if there are problems it is usually due to another factor and had nothing to do with the pill use.