damage?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-30-2004
damage?
4
Mon, 05-17-2004 - 4:27pm
Just wondering what would/could happen to a developing fetus if I were to get preg. while on the pill? I am not, nor am I concerned that I could be, I was just thinking about this. :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: sanderson1109
Tue, 05-18-2004 - 9:00am
There is no increased risk to a fetus so long as the pills are stopped as soon as pregnancy is confirmed, at least that's what the medical community is telling us. Many women get pregnant while taking the pill (most of them that do get pregnant are taking the pill incorrectly) and have perfectly healthy babies, though it would be better to be off the pill several months and taking prenatal vitamins before getting pregnant.

So while it's not horrible, do yourself a favor and make sure to take those pills on time! ;) Good luck...

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
In reply to: sanderson1109
Tue, 05-18-2004 - 2:36pm
I've wondered about this before, too. What about women who take continuous contraception in 3 or 6 month cycles? since I started doing three month cycles (less than a month ago), I've wonderd a) how would i know if i was pregnant and b) what would happen to the fetus if i, for example, got pregnant during the first month but didn't find out until after the third?

I trust my pills, and I'm not too concerned about getting pregnant (mostly because I'm really neurotic about taking my pills correctly ;), but sometimes I wonder what 3 months of BCP would do to a baby . . .
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-30-2004
In reply to: sanderson1109
Tue, 05-18-2004 - 6:59pm
I know what you mean, I take mine at literally the same minute every day. It is just something I was thinking. They say it is so important to get off the pill immediately, and that the first trimester is so crucial, I guess it is just something for the obsessive side of me to think about! :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: sanderson1109
Wed, 05-19-2004 - 8:23am
Well, I think you'd have some other way of knowing that you were pregnant besides a missed period! ;) The pill just takes care of bleeding issues, but feeling not yourself, dizziness, nausea, breast tenderness...those things would all still happen whether you were on the pill or not. And I'd imagine the three months of pills scenario has happened more than a few times, but I haven't seen any specific studies (which could be unethical, really....) on how long you can take the pill and not affect the fetus.

I'm one of those paranoid people that wouldn't be on a continuous pill, and when I was on the pill I was diligent about taking it on time, so I never worried about it and the ring has made it that much easier. So far so good, at this point I'm still "allowed" to plan my family when I want it!

Hope that helps...

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control