Can taking birth control while pregnant cause miscarriage

Some people might assume that getting pregnant while taking birth control isn’t possible. And well, this just isn’t true. Birth control is between 91% – 99% effective when it is used with perfect use. Although it has high rate of effectiveness, there are many ways that a woman can become pregnant without intending to.

Table of Contents Show

Reasons That You May Become Pregnant
What Harm Will Birth Control Cause to An Unborn Baby?
Can I Use Birth Control While Breastfeeding?
What Happens If You Accidentally Take Birth Control Pills While Pregnant?
1. Are There Chances of Birth Defects?
2. Is There a Risk of Miscarriage?
3. Is There a Possibility of an Ectopic Pregnancy?
4. Is There a Risk of Preterm Delivery and Low Birth Weight?
What happens when you take birth control pills while pregnant?
Can you get pregnant and have a miscarriage while on birth control?

So, what happens if you take birth control while pregnant? Is the birth control harmful to the baby or mother? Let’s find out below and discuss some of the reasons that you may become pregnant while taking birth control.

Reasons That You May Become Pregnant

Birth control pills are intended to lower the risk of pregnancy, and some women choose to use the medication to treat certain symptoms of menstruation. For example, some hormonal birth control can be used to regulate periods, reduce acne, and treat symptoms of PMS. Whatever the reason may be to take birth control, there’s always a chance that pregnancy may occur while taking the medication. Not all birth control methods have the same effectiveness, so you should always check the prescription label to find out how effective the birth control is.

Birth control failure can occur for many different reasons and can lead to an unintended pregnancy. So, if you’re wondering what happens if you take birth control while pregnant, you should first know the most common reasons that a woman can get pregnant while taking birth control. They are:

Missing a dose of birth control – this is especially true for progestin only birth control, which needs to be taken every 24 hours. If a dose is missed or taken at a different time, the body receives an inconsistent level of hormones and may lead to pregnancy.

Vomiting – nausea and vomiting may occur if a woman becomes ill. If a woman experiences vomiting while taking oral contraceptive, there is a chance that the medication may come back up and the hormones will not be absorbed into the body.

Medications interfering – other prescription medication may counter the effects of birth control and reduce its effectiveness. If you’re taking any form of medication, ensure that your doctor knows before you start taking the birth control.

Improper storage – birth control needs to be stored in a dry place at room temperature (between 68 – 77 degrees). If it is exposed to either hot or cold conditions, the chemical makeup of the medication can be altered and reduced its effectiveness.

If any of these instances occurs and you have unprotected sex during this time, your chance of pregnancy increases.

What Harm Will Birth Control Cause to An Unborn Baby?

So, what happens if you take birth control while pregnant? Taking birth control in the early stages of pregnancy doesn’t appear to increase the risk of birth defects in unborn babies. The exposure from the hormones in birth control is not known to cause any birth defects or increase the chance of miscarriage. So, you shouldn’t be concerned if you kept taking your birth control because you didn’t know you’re pregnant.

If you think there’s a chance that you may be pregnant, take a home pregnancy test as a precaution. If the test is positive, stop taking the birth control immediately and visit your doctor.

Can I Use Birth Control While Breastfeeding?

Once a woman has become sexually active again after childbirth, couples should start thinking about a what method of birth control to use while breastfeeding. As we’ve discussed already, there is little risk involved with taking birth control during the early stages of pregnancy, but is there any risk to the baby while breastfeeding?

There is little evidence supporting that using birth control while pregnant causes problems. Something to keep in mind is that combination birth control containing estrogen may reduce milk supply and can cause blood clots. For this reason, your doctor will most likely prescribe a progestin-only birth control while breastfeeding.

If you’re still concerned and wondering what happens if you take birth control while pregnant, you should speak with your doctor to find out the possibility of there being any complications with your baby.

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Last Updated on May 20, 2022

Some methods of birth control include oral birth control pills and shots. Oral contraceptives commonly have hormones that are similar to the hormones produced by a woman’s body. The pill may prevent pregnancy by thickening the cervical excretion which disallows the sperm from reaching the egg and also by suppressing the ovaries, which prohibits them from functioning at full strength.

But our human bodies are complex, and taking into account the chance of human error, oral contraceptives cannot offer a 100% guarantee against pregnancy. Thus, there are odds that a woman may get unexpectedly pregnant while taking birth control pills.

Some experts believe that taking birth control while you get accidentally pregnant may not harm the growing foetus during early pregnancy, but it is vital to discontinue taking birth control immediately after learning about your pregnancy.

What Happens If You Accidentally Take Birth Control Pills While Pregnant?

Most women may ask whether taking birth control pills affect a pregnancy. Studies indicate that taking birth control during the first few weeks of pregnancy may not adversely affect the developing foetus. However, there are some queries most women have regarding taking birth control pills while pregnant:

1. Are There Chances of Birth Defects?

Many women who suddenly become pregnant while taking birth control may be worried about their baby being born with some birth defects. But there is no concrete scientific evidence available which shows that taking birth control while in your early pregnancy leads to increased chances of birth defects in babies.

2. Is There a Risk of Miscarriage?

Can taking birth control pills while pregnant cause a miscarriage? That may be another likely concern of women who experience an unplanned pregnancy in such cases. But again, there is no statistical data available that can establish a relation between the two aspects. After the fertilised egg implants itself, birth control pills can have relatively no effect on it – since the hormones present in the pill are meant to thicken the cervical mucus to prohibit sperm from entering the uterus and stopping ovulation, none of these things are occurring when implantation has already happened.

Another myth regarding birth control pills and pregnancy is that taking an emergency contraceptive pill can cause an immediate miscarriage. That, again, is not true. These pills do not have any effect on the body once implantation has occurred.

3. Is There a Possibility of an Ectopic Pregnancy?

Evidence suggests that taking a progestin-only birth control pill (minipill) while pregnant may increase the prospects of the occurrence of an ectopic pregnancy (where the fertilised egg grows outside the uterus) in some cases.

4. Is There a Risk of Preterm Delivery and Low Birth Weight?

Although debatable, women who conceive while on the birth control pill may be at a greater risk of experiencing preterm labour, low birth weight, and a few congenital urinary tract anomalies.

It is essential to understand here that research done in this field is not extensive, as it may be against medical ethics to expose a mother and her unborn child to any potential danger. Thus, much of the data has been collected from epidemiological research relating to mothers who took birth control pills during their early pregnancy in contrast to those who didn’t.

Unexpected pregnancy while on birth control pills is not unusual. If you feel you may be pregnant, take a home pregnancy test to confirm it. In case you are pregnant, it is advisable to stop taking birth control pills at once. It is also wise to read the product labelling carefully before buying birth control pills to ascertain the potential risks in the incidence of pregnancy. In any case, irrespective of any probable risk factors, it is sensible to refer to a doctor for further guidance.

Also Read:

Side Effects of Birth Control Pills
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) While Pregnant

What happens when you take birth control pills while pregnant?

Birth control pills will not harm an existing pregnancy, so don't stop using your birth control until you know for sure if you're pregnant. If a woman is worried that she might be pregnant, the first thing she needs to do is take a home pregnancy test or go to a health care center for confidential testing.

Can you get pregnant and have a miscarriage while on birth control?

Birth Control Pills Some people believe that if they continue to take the birth control pill while pregnant, they may have a miscarriage. This is not true, and there has never been any evidence to suggest that.