Does Skipping Your Period On The Pill Affect Fertility
If youre taking the combined contraceptive pill you can skip your period by taking 2 packs back-to-back. Some women choose to take just 2 packs back-to-back to delay their period for an important occasion. Other take 3 packs in a row and then have a 4 or 7-day break, this is known as tricycling. And some women never take a break from their combined contraceptive.
Taking the pill in any of these ways to miss a period, is safe and should have no impact on your fertility. Taking the contraceptive pill should not affect your fertility in any way.
Leaving The Pills In The Car
It is not a good idea to keep your birth control pills in your car, in your purse, or in the bathroom. It is important to always store the birth control pills in an environment that is not very humid and less than 77 degrees at all times. If the temperature the pills are in is greater than 77 degrees for any length of time, the birth control pills will begin to degrade and will not be effective in preventing a pregnancy.
Can You Get Pregnant If You Use Condoms
If you use condoms perfectly every single time you have sex, theyre 98 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. But most people don’t use them perfectly, so in real life, condoms are about 85 percent effective. That means almost one in five women will get pregnant each year if they just use condoms.
The best way to make sure condoms are as effective as possible is to use them correctly. Some of the most common mistakes include:
- Putting them on too late, or pulling them off too early
- Not leaving space at the tip of the condom for semen
- Not checking one for damage before use
- Using an oil based-lubricant like Vaseline or massage oil, which can damage the latex
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Does The Morning After Pill Affect Your Fertility
There is no evidence to suggest that taking the morning after pill will affect your fertility. In fact, the WHO has claimed that any media coverage suggesting that taking the morning affect pill affects fertility is factually incorrect.
Risks Of Taking Birth Control While Pregnant
If you were taking birth control to prevent pregnancy but find out weeks later that youre indeed pregnant, its natural to wonder what effect your birth control may have on a developing fetus. The good news is that birth control has been shown to be safe in early pregnancy.
Of course, no guarantee can be made that the medication hasnt affected the babys development, so be sure to see your doctor as soon as you suspect or find out that youre pregnant. If you test positive, you should stop taking your birth control pill.
Becoming pregnant while on birth control does increase your risk of ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized embryo attaches outside the uterus, often in the fallopian tube. This is a very serious, life-threatening problem and should be cared for immediately.
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You Use The Pull Out Method
This old-school method of preventing pregnancy is a far cry from a myth. It’s not foolproof and it can certainly result in pregnancy, but it does significantly decrease your chances of getting pregnant. In case you need a refresher course on the pull-out method, also known as withdrawal, it involves the male partner pulling out of the vagina before he ejaculates. The problem, however, is that pre-ejaculate or precum, the bodily fluid that’s released from the penis before an actual ejaculation, very well may contain active and viable sperm.
Additionally, Mark Trolice, M.D., reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at My Fertility CARE: The IVF Center in Winter Park, Florida, explains that most men aren’t aware of when they release this precum. “Because it’s hard to predict when pre-ejaculation occurs, the withdrawal method is often fraught with peril and certainly not the most reliable method out there,” he says.
How hard is it to get pregnant while using withdrawal? Withdrawal is about 96 percent effective with perfect use and 82 percent effective with typical use. If you really want to avoid pregnancy, choose a different contraceptive method
And Hold On You Mentioned An App
Natural Cycles and Spot On are just two of the options available for women that want to track their periods. The difference is that with Spot On, the app tracks your periods cycle and your preferred method of birth control along with it. Spot On works with the pill, patch, ring, implant, shot and IUD. With Natural Cycles, the app has the ability to track your cycle and tell you which days youre not fertile.
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Can Birth Control Harm Your Baby
You may also worry that taking birth control pills could have harmed your developing baby. According to the Mayo Clinic, this doesnt appear to the case. Some research showed a link between birth control during early pregnancy with issues low birth weight, abnormalities to the urinary tract, and preterm delivery, but little has been observed clinically. Its important to stop taking the pill as soon as you suspect pregnancy, but your baby shouldnt be at a greater risk of defects.
How Does Female Sterilisation Affect Future Fertility
The short answer: As you would expect, sterilisation can have a significant effect on future fertility.
The long answer: Tubal ligation, or sterilisation, is a process by which the fallopian tubes are blocked , preventing sperm from reaching and fertilising the eggs. Sterilisation is generally considered a permanent contraceptive, and is only recommended for women who are absolutely sure they dont want to have children. There is a reversal process for sterilisation, though fertility is not the same following a reversal.
The chance of getting pregnant after a reversal is around 40-70%, depending on age, how long between the sterilisation and reversal, and the method of the original surgery. There will likely be some scarring that will affect fertility. Around 50% of women eventually achieve pregnancy after a reversal. The risk of ectopic pregnancy increases for women who have undergone sterilisation and reversal.
Its important to remember that pregnancy can be achieved using IVF without performing a reversal, as the eggs are retrieved directly from the ovaries. Using IVF, the likelihood of pregnancy after tubal ligation is the same as in the general population.
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Not Taking The Pills At The Same Time Each Day
In addition to taking birth control pills daily, a person should also take the pills at around the same time each day. This can maintain their hormone levels more consistently.
A person should always take the minipill within the same 3-hour time window every day. Someone who misses their window should use a backup birth control method for the next 2 days or avoid having sex.
Many people set a daily alarm reminding them to take their pill at the correct time each day.
After Your Partner Has Had A Vasectomy
While you have a less than one percent chance of getting pregnant by a man whos had a vasectomy, you might have a much larger chance if you dont wait until your partners been tested to see if it worked. Your partners sperm should be checked three months after the procedure, and he needs to have had a minimum of 20 ejaculations. Make sure to use other protection until you get the OK from your doctor after three months.
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Birth Control Can Mask Menstrual Cycle Irregularities
One of the benefits of taking birth control can be a regular, predictable menstrual cycle. However, sometimes this can mask menstrual irregularities. If a woman has amenorrhea, bleeds irregularly, or has heavy periods, these issues can all contribute to infertility. Once a woman stops taking birth control, these irregularities may become apparent, making conception more challenging.
How Well Does The Birth Control Shot Work
The birth control shot is an effective birth control method. Over the course of a year, about 6 out of 100 typical couples who use the birth control shot will have an accidental pregnancy. The chance of getting pregnant increases if a girl waits longer than 3 months to get her next shot.
In general, how well each type of birth control method works depends on a lot of things. These include whether a person has any health conditions or is taking any medicines that might affect its use. It also depends on whether the method is convenient and whether the person remembers to use it correctly all of the time.
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Did You Miss A Day
For the most effective protection against pregnancy, your birth control pills should be taken daily. Heres a helpful tip: taking your pills at the same time each day may help you to remember to take them regularly. If you accidentally miss a pill or two or start a new pack late, its possible your pills will not work as well. What should you do? First, take the missed pill as soon as you remember it, and then keep taking the rest of the pills as usual even if this means taking 2 pills in one day. If you miss more than 2 pills in a row, take the missed pill as soon as possible, leave any other missed pills in the pack, then finish the rest of the pack of pills. In this case, you should use another form of birth control, with your pills, like condoms, any time you have sex in the next seven days. Bedsider has a super helpful guide for protecting yourself from an accidental pregnancy if you miss a pill. They also have a free birth control reminder app if you want some help staying on top of your daily BC routine.
Most pill packs have reminder pills at the end of the pack. These pills have no active ingredients in them, so no need to worry if you miss any of them. Your doctor can confirm if your pills contain a week of reminder pills that do not impact pregnancy prevention if they are late or missed.
If you are worried about getting pregnant, remember you can always call us at SAY-CARA to discuss the best birth control options for you and your lifestyle.
If I Had My Tubes Tied Can I Still Get Pregnant If I Want To
Getting your tubes tied is designed to be permanent. If you want to try and get pregnant, it is possible to have the procedure reversed. In general, research suggests 31% to 90% of those who have the procedure reversed will be able to become pregnant and depending on how the tubes were tied in the first place, how long it has been since they were tied, and how damaged the tubes are . Another option for pregnancy after getting your tubes tied is in vitro fertilization .
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Can You Get Pregnant If You Have Had The Depo
The most common reason for pregnancy with Depo-Provera a shot that contains the hormone progestin is not getting it on time . If you do stay on top of it, the pregnancy rate after one year of use is very low. But with typical use, the failure rate hovers around six percent. If you think it will be hard to keep up with your shots, you should look for another method of birth control.
Can You Get Pregnant On Birth Control Pills
Yes. Birth control pills have a high success rate, but they can fail and you can become pregnant while taking them. The risk of getting pregnant increases even if you are on birth control, depending on certain factors. If you want to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, you should keep these factors in mind.
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Taking Pills As Birth Control
About 62 percent of women of reproductive age use some form of birth control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Twenty-eight percent of those women who use contraceptives use birth control pills.
Many of these women have questions about their birth control, but forget to bring up their questions to their healthcare provider. If you are sexually active and want to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, here are answers to what you want to know about birth control pills.
Getting Pregnant With An Iud
IUDs are a very effective method of birth control, says Costescu. The copper IUDs failure rate is a mere 0.8 percent, while a hormonal IUD has a failure rate of just 0.2 percent. A copper IUD is immediately effective when placed, and the hormonal type is effective within five days after being placed, he explains. And, since you dont have to do anything after its in place, and youve had a follow-up to make sure it was inserted properly, theres no chance for user error.
The one risk is that over the five-year life of your IUD, there is a three to five percent chance it may be expelled by your body. If someone does notice they suddenly have heavy bleeding with clots with an IUD inside, that could be a sign that the IUDs been expelled, Black explains. If this happens, do a string check to make sure the IUD is still in place if you cant find the string, make an appointment with your health-care provider so they can make sure everything is where it should be and, in the meantime, use backup birth control, such as condoms.
If you suspect youre pregnant, take a home pregnancy test. If its positive, its important to see a health-care provider as soon as possible to get an ultrasound. Its an urgent matter because if you get pregnant with an IUD there is a higher chance that it will be an ectopic pregnancy, which means the embryo has implanted in one of your fallopian tubes rather than in your uterus, which can be dangerous, and needs to be treated right away.
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Special Info On Progesterone
It happens. We get busy and our routines change all the time! If youre taking progesterone-only birth control pills, taking pills on time is more crucial than other kinds of birth control options. They may be less effective if you take them more than three hours later than usual. So if youre taking progesterone-only birth control pills and you have taken your pill more than 3 hours after your usual time you should use a backup method of birth control, like condoms, for the next 2 days any time you have sex.
If taking the pill at the same time every day just isnt for you, you may want to consider using another method of birth control or combined-hormone pills. Want to think less about a birth control routine? Consider a long-acting reversible method such as an IUD, implant, or a birth control shot.
Can You Get Pregnant On Birth Control
Yes. Birth control pills are 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy when used perfectly, according to the National Womens Health Resource Center, Inc. Perfect use means taking the pill every day at the same time without ever missing a dose or taking it late. Lets face it nobody is perfect. Anyone can miss a dose or take a dose at the wrong time. Other factors can interfere with the action of birth control pills. In real life, the pill is about 91 percent effective. This means 9 out of every 100 birth control pill users get pregnant each year.
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Stis Can Cause Infertility
Some women who take birth control may be less likely to use condoms. While condoms, IUDs, and the pill all prevent pregnancy, only condoms protect against sexually transmitted infections . Many STIs that are left untreated, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, can lead to problems with fertility. Women who are on birth control should still use condoms to protect against STIs in situations where infection may be a risk. Women should also get tested regularly for STIs and treated immediately if an STI is found.
What Causes The Failure Of Birth Control Pills
Several factors that may be directly or indirectly related to the failure of birth control pills, causing pregnancy, are:
- Taking the pills irregularly or at a different time each day
- Vomiting and diarrhea for more than 48 hours
- Some antibiotics, antifungals and anti-seizure medicines
- The herb St. Johns Wort
- The pill may not work for people who are overweight
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Just Starting Out With The Pill
If you take the pill as soon as you have your menstrual period or sometime within a few days of starting your menstrual period, you stand a good chance of having the pill be effective. If, on the other hand, you randomly pick a day and start taking the pill, you may already have ovulated and may be pregnant, even though you have started taking the pill. That first cycle on the pill can be tricky and you might want to use a barrier method to carry you through the first cycle of the birth control pill.
These mistakes are exceedingly common and this is why the birth control pill isnt as effective as it says it is supposed to be according to the package insert. This is also why you should always consider a backup method such as a barrier method any time you arent sure about the effectiveness of the pill.
