Birth Control And The 001 Percent
In an ideal world, the birth control pill does its job pretty freaking well. Planned Parenthood estimates that when taken perfectly, the pill is 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.
It does this by stopping ovulation, which means an egg isnt released from your ovary each month to be fertilized by sperm.
The birth control pill also thickens your cervical mucus, making it less hospitable for sperm to reach an egg. It essentially turns your uterus into a fiercely guarded surveillance zone, unsurvivable to outside invaders .
There are two types of birth control pills: combination pills and progestin-only pills.
Combination pills, the most popular type, contain two hormones: estrogen and progestin. For people who cant take estrogen , the progestin-only pill, sometimes called the mini pill, is another option.
Regardless of which type of pill youre taking, its best to take it at the same time every day. Making it part of your daily routine can help prevent missed doses and ensure that the pill is as effective as possible.
If you use a progestin-only pill, its essential to take it within the same 3-hour window every day.
But lets be real: Humans arent perfect. Sometimes you forget to pick up your refill pack or you miss a pill one day and take two the next.
According to Planned Parenthood, the average person takes the pill at a 91 percent accuracy rate, meaning 9 of every 100 people who use the pill will get pregnant.
Can You Get Pregnant On Birth Control
It is possible to get pregnant while taking birth control pills. If taken exactly the way the doctor prescribed, it is very effective in preventing pregnancy. How you take the pill depends on what kind of pill it is.
There are 2 types of birth control pills, the combined pill and the progesterone-only pill. The combined contraceptive pill is taken for 21 days and then stopped for 7 days. In these 7 days, you will have your menstrual period. Combined pills should be taken in the right order at around the same time each day. If you forget to take one, you have a 24-hour window to make it up and still be protected against pregnancy. The effectiveness decreases only if you miss 2 or more pills.
The progesterone-only pill should be taken in the order specified on the pack. They have to be taken without fail within 3 hours of the same time each day. If you miss it, you will not be protected from pregnancy.
When To See A Doctor
Women should speak to a doctor as soon as possible if they suspect that they are pregnant or have had a positive result on a pregnancy test while on birth control.
Conversely, if a woman misses a period and gets a negative pregnancy test result, she should also seek medical advice unless she is taking a form of birth control that prevents regular periods.
Although they are rare, false negatives are possible. There may be other underlying conditions causing missed periods or other pregnancy symptoms.
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What Are The Potential Side Effects Of Plan B
Plan B and the levonorgestrel hormone are considered safe for most women. The risk of side effects is minimal. However, you should consult your doctor if you experience any adverse effects, such as nausea, dizziness, or abdominal pain.
Plan B also comes with a warning that you should contact a healthcare professional if you vomit within two hours after taking the pill.
Another potential issue is a change to your menstrual cycle. While this issue is rare, Plan B may cause your next period to be lighter or heavier than usual. This change typically goes away after the next cycle.
Can You Get Pregnant If You Have An Implant
The birth control implant is a flexible plastic rod about the size of a matchstick that is placed under the skin of your upper arm. It releases a low, steady dose of synthetic progestin to thicken your cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus, preventing pregnancy.
Nexplanon is actually the most effective birth control option out there, with a failure rate of only .05 percent. That means that out of 10,000 women, only five using the implant will get pregnant within a year. This is almost always due to incorrect insertion rather than the implant itself.
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What To Do If Youre Pregnant
If you discover that youre pregnant, you should speak with your doctor as soon as possible. If you plan to keep the pregnancy, youll need to start caring for your growing baby. This means going off of the birth control pill and beginning to take a daily prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. Youll also have to begin preparing for an upcoming delivery.
If you decide youd like to terminate the pregnancy, you should begin this process as quickly as you can. Depending on where you live, legal restrictions could prevent you from having the procedure after youve reached a certain point in the pregnancy.
Birth Control Pill And Birth Defects
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , there is no evidence that taking combination birth control pills or progestin-only pills while pregnant will harm your baby in any way, either by increasing the risk of birth defects or causing pregnancy complications.
It is important to note that there has not actually been a lot of research on this subject. This is not because of oversight or lack of interest. Medical ethics would simply not allow anyone to conduct research that may place a mother or her unborn baby in harm’s way.
As such, most of the data is derived from epidemiological research comparing mothers who have used birth control pills during early pregnancy against those who haven’t. In this regard, there has been little difference in either the number of birth defects, miscarriage, or stillbirths between either group.
The CDC notes that progestins taken in early pregnancy slightly increase the risk of hypospadias in boys .
The studies leading to this conclusion are older and were mostly of women taking progestins for infertility or to prevent pregnancy loss and not the low doses of progestins seen in today’s birth control pills.
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Not Starting A New Pack Right Away
It is essential to start a new pack of pills the day after finishing the previous one. However, sometimes a person may not have their new package yet. Missing a few days between packs can make the pill less effective at preventing pregnancy.
According to the , anyone who misses two or more pills in a row should use a backup contraceptive method or avoid sexual intercourse until they have taken the birth control pill for 7 consecutive days.
Does Bleeding Decrease The Efficacy Of The Pill
Bleeding does not decrease the efficacy of the pill. Certain birth control pills are known to cause breakthrough bleeding, especially the ones that only contain the hormone progestin. Most women take birth control pills that contain both progestin and estrogen to prevent or decrease breakthrough bleeding.
Also, taking birth control pills continuously over a long time can cause breakthrough bleeding. This is why health care providers sometimes recommend taking a break from contraceptive pills to avoid health complications.
Like all medications, oral contraceptive pills have some contraindications and side-effects. Thats why its crucial to consult a health care provider before starting or changing any contraceptive pills.
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You’re Over 44 Years Old
Thanks to that good-old biological clock, a woman’s chances of getting pregnant wane over time. Women are born with some 1 million to 2 million eggs there’s only about 300,000 left when they get their first period and 25,000 left by their late 30s. This means that a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant in her early 40s are pretty slim, though it’s by no means impossible. “As we get closer to 40, the ticking of our biological clock becomes louder and by 44, it can be deafening,” she says. “Fertility decreases by as much as 95 percent in women between 40 and 45 years of age.”
How hard is it to get pregnant over 44 years old? According to Dr. Ross, women over the age of 44 have a less than 5 percent chance of getting pregnant each month.
Early Signs Of Pregnancy
If you miss a period, take a pregnancy test to make sure that youâre not pregnant. Other signs include tiredness, bloating, having to pee a lot, moodiness, nausea, and tender, swollen breasts. Most pregnancy tests will be positive by the time you miss your first period, but if yours isnât, itâs still important to see your doctor if youâre more than a week or two late to rule out any other health conditions and to confirm that you arenât pregnant.
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Birth Control And Miscarriage Myths
Some people believe that if they continue to take the birth control pill while pregnant, they may have a miscarriage. This is not true, and there has never been any evidence to suggest that.
The hormones in the pill work by thickening to the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering the uterus, stopping ovulation, and preventing the thickening of the uterine lining to support implantation. None of these things contributes to either a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Another myth is that using emergency contraception while you are pregnant may cause the spontaneous termination of your pregnancy. This is again not true. These pills really have no effect once a fertilized egg has implanted.
There are specific medications that can end a pregnancy if desired. However, these are not considered birth control but a form of medical abortion. Known as Mifeprex or RU-486, the abortion pill has been FDA-approved in the United States since 2000.
Success And Failure Rates Of Birth Control Pills
Birth control pills are 99 percent effective with perfect use, which means taking the pill at the same time every day without missing a dose. Typical use is how most women take the pill, and then its about 91 percent effective. Both combined oral contraceptives and progestin-only pills have a typical failure rate of 9 percent.
Many women accidentally miss a dose or forget to start a new pack of pills. When that happens, the chances for an accidental pregnancy go up.
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Not Making Love All The Time
The producers aim for individuals to take the tablet on a regular basis in order for it to be most effective. If a person skips a day, their hormone levels may not remain high enough to prevent conception.
Other birth control techniques may be more suitable if a person finds it difficult to take a daily pill. A doctor or gynecologist can advise on the best mix of alternative contraceptives for you.
So How Soon Can You Get Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control
Some women conceive within the first one to three months of being birth control-free. For others, it may take several months. Why the difference?
Your overall health and age and your partners fertility are important factors for getting pregnant. But timing is big, too.
To increase your chances of pregnancy, youll want to become intimately familiar with your menstrual cycle. Understanding your cycle is the best way to identify your fertile window. So, if youre ready or getting ready to try for a baby, its a good idea to start tracking your menstrual cycle now.
The good news is there are apps for that. A fertility tracker app can make it easier to understand your patterns, so you can plan your baby-making sessions with confidence. There are dozens of apps to choose from, so you should be able to find one you like. Popular fertility apps include Clue, Flo, Fertility Friend and Premom. Some apps even pair with ovulation test kits for extra-easy tracking.
Also, getting pregnant isnt easy for everyone, and its important to prepare your body for it. Taking care of your physical, mental and emotional health can increase your chances of conception and a healthy pregnancy. To help you get ready, weve also put together a preparing-for-pregnancy checklist.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Perimenopause
Although menopause is a normal, healthy part of life for individuals with a uterus, it typically entails symptoms that can become unpleasant. Some individuals may not notice any significant changes, but many will likely experience one or more of the following:
- Hot flashes and night sweats = a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over the body
- Breakthrough bleeding and spotting = bleeding when not on your period
- Irregular periods = inconsistent timing and heaviness of periods
- Headaches and/or migraines = pain that occurs in one or more regions of your head
- Mood swings = intense and sudden changes in mood
- Insomnia = persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Urine urgency and/or leakage = constantly feeling the need to go pee
- Vaginal dryness = lack of lubrication in the vagina
- Acne = blemishes that pop up on the skin
- Fatigue = feeling more tired than usual
- Breast tenderness = sore and/or swollen breasts
- Lower sex drive = lack of desire to have sex and/or pain during sex
Sometimes, the symptoms of perimenopause can cause significant problems in day-to-day functioning. Fortunately, there are various treatments that can be implemented to help provide some relief.
How Long Does A Woman Go Through Menopause
The entire process of menopause typically lasts between 7 and 11 years, though it may be more or less for some.
Disclaimer:The views expressed in this article intend to inform and induce conversation. They are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Pandia Health, and are for informational purposes only, even if and to the extent that this article features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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Is It Common To Get Cramping After Taking The Plan B Pill
Yes, but if cramping is severe and persists beyond two to three days, it is important that you visit a physician because this might be a sign of an underlying problem.
There have been occasional reports of ectopic pregnancy after levonorgestrel emergency contraception. Approximately 75 percent of women with an ectopic pregnancy will present with abdominal pain, which is why you shouldnât take severe or prolonged cramping lightly.
Increased Risk Of Severe Illness
If you are pregnant or were recently pregnant, you are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 compared to people who are not pregnant. Pregnancy causes changes in the body that could make it easier to get very sick from respiratory viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. These changes in the body can continue after pregnancy.
Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may need:
- Hospitalization
- Intensive care
- A ventilator or special equipment to help them breathe
People with COVID-19 who become severely ill can die. See why pregnancy is included in the list of underlying medical conditions that increase a persons risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
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If You Haven’t Gotten Pregnant
You stopped birth control pills, your cycles have returned, but youre not getting pregnant. Now what? While you may wonder if your birth control pills have affected your fertility, rest assured that this is highly unlikely.
There are many reasons why people may struggle to conceive. Infertility affects 12% of couples, and both men and women can experience fertility problemswhether or not they previously used hormonal birth control.
If you dont conceive after a year of trying, don’t wait to talk to your provider. Delaying testing and treatment may reduce your odds for pregnancy success.
Are You On Medications That Might Interfere With Your Birth Control
Did you know certain medications that can make your birth control less effective? There are few specific antibiotics and antifungal drugs as well as herbs like St. Johns Wort that have been shown to interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraception.
Before taking any new medication, you may want to ask your provider if itll affect your birth control and when in doubt, use a backup method like condoms. Its always better to be safe.
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How Does Birth Control Affect Perimenopause Symptoms
Hormonal birth control can help prevent pregnancy and eliminate period symptoms. Similarly, using birth control during perimenopause can help alleviate unpleasant symptoms and even decrease the likelihood of negative health conditions. For instance, the process of menopause may lead to osteoporosis and other bone-related issues, and implementing birth control can help reduce this risk. Additionally, because birth control regulates hormone levels, it can further minimize some of the effects associated with perimenopause such as hot flashes, acne, and vaginal dryness.
It is important to note, however, that hormonal contraceptives can mask perimenopause symptoms. Furthermore, those who take birth control may not recognize when they have reached the perimenopause stage. For this reason, it is crucial to communicate with a doctor in order to better understand what is going on in your body.
