possible pregnancy on birth control

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-10-2003
possible pregnancy on birth control
9
Mon, 11-22-2004 - 4:13pm
I'm wondering if anyone here has gotten pregnant while on birth control, mainly pills. If anyone has, I'd like to know your symptoms...
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Mon, 11-22-2004 - 4:17pm

Your main symptom is going to be a failure to have menses during your pill-free week. If you have gotten pregnant some time during the month, you probably will not be having other pregnancy symptoms so soon and the first indicator would be the lack of bleeding during your placebo pills.

As early as two weeks from the day of concern, some home pregnancy tests can show a pregnancy. Your best bet, if it`s been 2 weeks or longer, is to take a home test and, even if it comes out negative, keep an eye out for that lack of menses.

Since many pregnancy symptoms can be similar to the symptoms of birth control pill, i.e. nausea, weight gain, sore and swollen breasts, I think your best bet is the home test if you`re concerned, or even going to a health clinic and having a blood drawn test, which are much more accurate at giving a correct answer during the early weeks of a possible pregnancy.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-10-2003
Mon, 11-22-2004 - 4:30pm
Here's what has been going on. My last period was the week of October 6th and lasted until Saturday, as usual. I've been on the pill for over a year so I haven't had any more side effects like nausea and such. I was late a lot taking it, sometimes several hours and daylight savings time changed my schedule. Then for the next cycle I was supposed to have, I skipped my inactive pills to stop my period. Nothing happened before when I would do that so I know it's not that. According to charts I would be in the 6th week, so I looked at a list of symptoms and when they would begin. For the past couple weeks I've had some nausea, mostly after I eat and then it tapers off. I was spotting last week and now this week and it's nothing like what comes with my period, so I looked that up also and it said it was normal to have a little light spotting early in pregnancy. I have had light abdomenal cramps, nothing like normal because the week before my period I usually get a few pretty bad cramps. I've also been exhausted the past couple weeks, had more breast tenderness than usual, headaches, increased sense of smell, mood swings mostly towards wanting to cry, and a little faintness and dizziness. I want to wait until Wednesday to really worry because that's when my period should start, but I wanted to try to be set at ease by getting some more opinions.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 11-22-2004 - 5:32pm

Hi xzanquionett, welcome!

If you have been taking your pills correctly they are 98-99% effective and you should be quite safe. This board considers on time for a combination (estrogen/progestin) pill to be +/-2 hours of your normal pill time so if you were just an hour or two late that shouldn't be a big problem. If I'm reading your post correctly you skipped your last period taking this pack and the previous one back to back. If that's the case then I think what you are experiencing is PMS for a pill-period that will probably be heavier than normal. You'll let us know how you're doing, right?

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-10-2003
Tue, 11-23-2004 - 4:17pm
I know it's not pms because I know what goes on when I have pms and it is nothing like this. I didn't take my pills within 2 hours, there were a few days when it was almost 8 hours late. Plus, I know what my body does when I skip a period and I have never had spotting. Also, my period would stay the same every other time coming Wednesday and stopping Saturday. I know about 4 people who got pregnant while using the shot and 5 who were taking the pill so it's really not as effective as they say unless you take it absolutely perfectly the same exact time every day. All I asked for was someone to give input who DID get pregnant while on birth control, not several peoples opinions of what is possibly going on with my body as if they know my body personally. As everyone should have been told with any medication...everyone reacts to things differently.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Tue, 11-23-2004 - 4:32pm

xzanquionett, I am sorry that our opinions were unwanted. We were simply trying to offer you advice for your situation, as pregnancy symptoms, pill symtoms, and extended PMS symptoms when you skip a period can all be very similar. Your body can change overtime and how it reacts to pills can change as well. We are not presuming to know everything about your situation, only trying to inform you of several factors that could be contributing to what`s going on.

For reference, this board considers taking your pill "on time" to be +/- 2 hours from your regular pill time. Being several hours late can certainly reduce the effectiveness of your pill. If you had unprotected sex during this time, you very well could be pregnant. I think rather than relying on descriptions of other people`s symptoms, perhaps you should take a home pregnancy test or get a blood drawn test. As you said, everyone reacts to things differently and what may be a pregnancy symptom for someone else may be something else entirely for you.

I hope you get the result you want.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-10-2003
Tue, 11-23-2004 - 4:40pm
I am grateful for everyone trying to set my mind at ease, but I just wanted to hear from someone who did get pregnant to know if they went through any of the symptoms to know if maybe what I'm experiencing is the same or something different. I'm just stressed and tired and worried and I have so much on my mind that it's just hard to stay focused and sane. I'm not trying to snap at anyone it would just be more comforting to hear from someone who did get pregnant...you know? I'm sure everyone understands what I mean and where I'm coming from...
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-2003
Tue, 11-23-2004 - 7:29pm
Hye there,
My best friend got pregnant on the pill and did not have any unusual symptoms beyond classic PMS. Having been pregnant myself, I know that the symptoms of being pregnant did not hit me until I was about 7 weeks along and they were HEAVY pms signs. More cramping, 10 times of everything else I had when just getting my period. I also have been on the pill for a while and I have had months that have been unusually light, and heavy even when I thought I knew my body. Stress always played a mojor factor in how I was reacting to my pill. I think the cl's have some wonderful advice and I think that would take you further than anyones symptoms of being pregnant would since sympotms can be sooo different with everyone.
Good Luck
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Wed, 11-24-2004 - 10:11am

"I didn't take my pills within 2 hours, there were a few days when it was almost 8 hours late."

I’m sorry hon, now I understand why you are worried!

"I know about 4 people who got pregnant while using the shot and 5 who were taking the pill so it's really not as effective as they say unless you take it absolutely perfectly the same exact time every day."

"Typical use" (not always taking them correctly) can reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives to about 92% http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/bcfacts2.html That’s why this board stresses the importance of taking your pills correctly.

If you are having trouble remembering to take your pill you can set the alarm on an inexpensive sports watch or a reminder message on your cell phone, PDA or computer to remind you at pill time. Or, you might want to consider a lower maintenance method such as the patch Ortho Evra http://www.orthoevra.com/ or the ring, NuvaRing http://www.nuvaring.com/

I hope AF shows up on schedule. Let us know how you’re doing.

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2003
Fri, 11-26-2004 - 9:15pm

I got pregnant on the pill last year. I have been on the pill for almost 18 yrs except when I went off of the to get pregnant with my 2 sons at age 30 & 32. I took them every day although I can't say I was religious to the point of the exact same time every day but I did miss my period last summer (almost age 38). I had just went to the doc thinking I had a bladder infection because of lower back pain and other symptoms. Suddenly, it hit me to take a HPT. I thought.."oh well, lets rule that one out quickly". SHOCK! it was positive. I was in a daze for weeks because I did not understand how I could possibly get pregnant ( I had not even taken any of the antibiotics the doc gave me for the possible infection). I ended up with a beautiful healthy baby girl. I had a Tubal done this time but I am still nervous because after that experience, I don't think any BC is 100% effective.

Kay