What if I'm on the pill when I get pregnant?
Don't worry but do consult your doctor then stop taking the tablets.
Posted: 22 August 2009
by ThinkBaby
If you are taking a contraceptive pill and discover you are pregnant, stop taking the tablets, but do not worry about the medication you have already taken.
No 100 per cent guarantee
It is certainly true that no form of contraception (apart from avoiding sex in the first place!) is 100 per cent successful at preventing pregnancy, but the female contraceptive pill is one of the most reliable methods currently available. However, that still leaves between 0.5 and 5 per cent risk of conception if this is the only form of protection you and your sexual partner are using.
No proven link with pregnancy complications
So far there have been no clear indications that women who have been unwittingly taking the pill while pregnant have harmed their unborn child in any way. However, any medication taken during pregnancy should always be taken following your doctor's advice and, if you are pregnant, you will of course have no reason to continue with the pill for the time being.
Are you sure you're pregnant?
If you have been using the pill for some time, you may well be aware that some side effects can be quite similar to sensations experienced in early pregnancy. Having sore breasts, for example. Don't be too quick to presume you are pregnant, even if your period has not arrived as usual during your cycle.
If you have a reason to suspect you are pregnant – for example, you have been ill during the month where the pill may have passed through your body too quickly, or there was a day when you forgot to take it – then you can try a home pregnancy test. If you are unsure and cannot get to see your doctor until you are due to begin your next course of tablets, it would be a good idea to use another form of contraception in the meantime, such as condoms. This will help ensure you do not conceive while not taking your pill, but will also not affect the baby if you are indeed pregnant.
It is also always worth reading carefully the user notes issued with your particular brand of pill.
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