Can you get pregnant on birth control?

birth control

Can you get pregnant on birth control? Yes, and if you don’t use your birth control perfectly, your chances of an unplanned pregnancy increase. Almost half of the pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Options for birth control range from highly effective long-lasting reversible contraception (LARC) methods – such as the IUD and implant –to barrier methods such as condoms and cervical caps, which require conscientious use. To minimize your risk of accidental pregnancy, take your lifestyle and needs into account when making a birth control choice.

IN THIS ARTICLE

Can you get pregnant on the Pill?

If you use it correctly, there’s very little chance of becoming pregnant while taking the Pill. If you take it exactly as prescribed – without missing a dose or taking a dose off schedule – the pill is about 97 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.

The chances of getting pregnant on the pill increase, of course, if you don’t take it perfectly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the typical use failure rate is seven percent, which means that seven out of 100 women taking the standard pills containing both estrogen and progestin will get pregnant in the first year. For women taking a progestin-only pill (POP or minipill), the typical use failure rate is nine out of 100.

(“Typical use” means actual use, including incorrect or inconsistent use, while “perfect use” means correct and consistent use according to directions.)

Mistakes include missing a dose or not taking the pill at the right time. Timing is different for the combined contraceptive pill (the Pill) and the progestin-only pill (the minipill).

To be effective, the progestin-only pill must be taken within the same three-hour window each day. If you miss taking the minipill within the three-hour time span, take the missed pill as soon as you remember, and use a backup method for the next 48 hours. Call your healthcare provider if you have any questions.

You have more wiggle room with combination birth control pills. While you only need to make sure you take one each day (within each 24-hours), it’s still a very good idea to take them around the same time every day, to lower the chances of accidently skipping one. Some women like to take theirs at lunchtime, for example, or when they get up in the morning. Be sure to pick a time when you’ll always be awake and available to take your pill. (Keep in mind that weekend and weekday schedules are often very different.)

If you miss taking one active pill (one containing hormones, not the schedule-holding “dummy pill” or “placebo pill”), take it when you remember, and take your next one as usual – even if it means doubling up. There’s no need to use backup birth control if you only miss one combination birth control pill. If you miss more than one pill, check with your healthcare provider about what to do. You’ll need to use a backup method of birth control for seven days if it’s been 48 hours or longer since you took a pill. (And you may want to use backup even if it hasn’t been that long.) But how to proceed taking your pills depends on where you are in your cycle of pills.

If you miss one of the placeholder (or placebo) pills, no worries. Just make sure you start the next pack on schedule, which means you won’t go longer than seven days without taking an active pill.

By the way, with one exception, it’s not true that taking antibiotics will cause the Pill to become less effective. The only antibiotic that may affect the effectiveness of the Pill (and some other hormonal birth control) is Rifampin, which is sometimes used to treat tuberculosis. St. John’s Wort, an herb sometimes taken as a supplement, may also reduce the effectiveness of hormonal birth control, including the Pill, the patch, progestin-containing IUDs, and the Nexplanon implant.

Can you get pregnant on the birth control shot?

You can get pregnant on the birth control shot if you aren’t able to get it on time. When used consistently and correctly, the shot is almost 100 percent effective. If you aren’t able to get your shot on time, however, the rate drops. According to the CDC, the typical use failure rate is four percent.

You’re protected by the shot immediately if you get it within:

  • The first seven days after the start of your period
  • Seven days after an abortion or a miscarriage
  • Three weeks of giving birth

Otherwise, use another form of birth control for the first week after you get your first shot.

Follow-up shots are usually scheduled about 12 to 13 weeks apart (though you can get it as early as 10 weeks and up to 15 weeks). These are effective immediately. If you get your shot later than 15 weeks after your last shot, use another form of birth control for a week after you get your shot.

Can you get pregnant on the patch?

You can get pregnant on the patch if you don’t use it as directed. According to the CDC, the typical use failure rate for the birth control patch is seven percent. If used perfectly, however, the effectiveness rate is about 99 percent, which means only about one out of 100 women who use it correctly will get pregnant in the first year of use.

Imperfect use means not keeping it on as directed (for three weeks), or waiting too long to replace it with a new patch. Correct use is changing the patch weekly for three consecutive weeks, then going without a patch for one week – during which time you’ll get your period. After the patch-free week (no more than seven days), you start the cycle over again with a new patch.

There’s also some evidence that the patch may be less effective for women who weigh more than 198 pounds. Talk with your healthcare provider about other options if you think your weight might not make you a good candidate for the patch.

Can you get pregnant if you have an IUD?

You can get pregnant if you have an IUD and it comes out. This happens in about two percent of users in the first year, if not placed immediately postpartum or post abortion. (The overall expulsion rate is two to 10 percent.) If your IUD does become dislodged, you might have bleeding, cramping, and/or vaginal discharge.

But because an IUD requires no attention on the part of the user once it’s in place (you don’t need to remember to take anything or do anything), it’s highly effective – about 99 percent. According to the CDC, the typical use failure rate of the IUD is less than one percent.

Can you get pregnant if you have an implant (Nexplanon)?

It’s extremely unlikely that you’d get pregnant if you have a Nexplanon implant. This implant is more than 99 percent effective, and the typical use failure rate, according to the CDC, is only 0.1 percent. The only – extremely rare – problem would be if it wasn’t implanted correctly.

Once the rod is correctly implanted, you can’t make a mistake, because there’s nothing you need to remember to do. The implant is effective immediately if you get it during the first five days of your period. Otherwise, you’ll need to use another form of birth control for one week after getting the implant.

Can you get pregnant if you use condoms?

It’s possible to get pregnant if you use condoms. When used perfectly, male condoms are about 98 percent effective, and female condoms are about 95 percent effective. The typical use failure rate, however, is 13 percent for male condoms and 21 percent for female condoms, according to the CDC. That means about 13 in 100 women who rely on male condoms for contraception wind up getting pregnant in the first year, and 21 in 100 women who rely on female condoms will get pregnant in the first year.

Failures are due to:

  • Not using a condom every time you have sex
  • Putting male condoms on incorrectly (not leaving space at the tip of the condom for semen to collect) or inserting female condoms incorrectly so they slide out during sex
  • Using damaged condoms
  • Using an oil-based lubricant with latex condoms (the oil can weaken the latex). Choose water- or silicone-based lubricants instead.
  • Not pulling out (while holding the rim of the condom against the base of the penis) immediately after ejaculation
  • Tears in the condom during sex

For more specifics about condom use, see our articles on condoms for men and condoms for women.

Can you get pregnant on other forms of birth control?

Yes, you can get pregnant on other birth control options. Even permanent methods of birth control – such as a tubal ligation or vasectomy – have failure rates of 0.5 percent and 0.15 percent. Here are some typical use failure rates for other methods:

  • Vaginal ring: Seven percent. You need to wear one ring for three weeks, take it out for a week, then insert a new ring. (The Annovera vaginal ring is a ring that you wear for three weeks, take out for a week, and then reinsert the same ring again. You need to get a new ring every year. It’s too new for failure data.)
  • Cervical cap: 17 percent. Mistakes include not using it every time, inserting it incorrectly, and neglecting to use spermicide. Needs to be refitted after pregnancy.
  • Diaphragm: 17 percent. Mistakes include not using it every time, inserting it incorrectly, and neglecting to use spermicide. Needs to be refitted after pregnancy.
  • Sponge: 14 percent for women who have never had a baby and 27 percent for women who have had a baby. It needs to be prepared with spermicide and inserted before sex.
  • Spermicides: 21 percent when used alone. Spermicides are best used in conjunction with another method, such as a condom or the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM).
  • Lactational amenorrhea method (LAM): Two percent if used perfectly, which means exclusive breastfeeding – at least every four hours during the day and six hours at night – and only for the six months after giving birth.
  • Fertility awareness: Two to 23 percent. There are several methods for keeping track of your menstrual cycle and ovulation. These methods require commitment and consistency.

How to avoid an unplanned pregnancy

To avoid an unplanned pregnancy:

  • Choose a birth control method that’s right for your situation and lifestyle. For example, the sponge and the cervical cap are less effective in women who have given birth. And there are some hormonal options, specifically those that contain estrogen, that aren’t recommended when you’re in the early weeks of breastfeeding because of the small risk that they might affect your milk supply. If you know you’re likely to forget to change a cervical ring or patch, you might consider using a longer-acting and reversible contraception (LARC) method, such as an IUD or implant. Choose a method that will set you up for success!
  • Use your method exactly as directed. Skipping just one pill or not changing your patch on time can greatly increase your chances of pregnancy.
  • Take steps to make it easy to use your birth control method. Use a timer or an app (such as Planned Parenthood’s Spot On) to remind you to take your birth control pill, for example, and take the placebo pills to help you stay on track.
  • Use more than one method if the birth control you’re using has a high failure rate. For example, you could use a male condom, spermicide, and a sponge at the same time.
  • Ask your doctor if your prescription or over-the-counter medication or supplements will interact with your hormonal birth control. If so, use another method in the meantime.
  • Store your birth control correctly. Patches should be stored at room temperature, in the sealed pouch, out of the sunlight, for example.
  • Keep emergency contraception pills (ECPs) on hand. If a condom breaks or a cervical cap slips out of place, you’ll be prepared. The sooner you take ECP after having unprotected sex, the more effective they are.

You can greatly decrease your chances of pregnancy on birth control by choosing the right method for you and using it correctly and consistently.

Read more about

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *