6 Scary Ways You Could Get Pregnant On Birth Control Even If You're Being Safe
Once upon a time, you may have thought that sex was one of the best things in the world. And then, someone - be it you or your partner - suggested you had sex without a condom. And wow, did the game change. Hopefully you were on some sort of birth control or used some sort of protection more sophisticated than the classic teenage 'pull-out' - like spermicide, the morning after pill, or classic birth control.
While unprotected sex is not something we recommend by any means as it stirs up a lot of potential dangers like STIs and STDs, many people choose to forgo condoms when having sexual encounters. While STIs and STDs are not to be shied away from (you should 100% get tested before and after having sex with any new partners) pregnancy was, is and will always be a major concern for anyone who's sexually active and not ready to pop out some little ones.
Oral birth control can be a great tool to minimize the risk of pregnancy. It can make your skin clearer, lighten your periods and solve a bunch of other health problems. But most importantly, it reduces the risk of pregnancy. At-least 99% of the time - and that's not a perfect statistic. Planned Parenthood reports that if you take your pill everyday at the same time, 1% of oral contraceptive users will become pregnant. Even still, people aren't perfect. That means some days you forget to take your pill on time, lose it or the whole pack in general. Contraceptive is 91% effective for non-perfect pill users.
But don't fret! The odds are slim. And while there are things that interfere can alter the effectiveness of your birth control, soon you'll know exactly what they are and exactly how to become a better birth control user.
To see the different ways you could get pregnant & what to do about them, click next!
1. You threw up after you took your pill
Whether it was too many vodka crans at the club or a bad jumbo shrimp, you are face-first in the toilet and definitely don't want to add morning sickness to your list of ailments.
What to do: Birth control takes about 2-3 hours to absorb into your body. If you've thrown up 2-3 hours after taking your pill, it will no longer be effective. Call your doctor or go to a walk-in, tell them what kind of birth control you're on and how frequently you're vomiting. They'll either tell you to take a pill immediately (if you've stopped throwing up) or, to wait until the following day and treat this as a 'missed pill.' DO NOT take two pills to try and make up for the other one.
Fun fact: Getting the runs or bad diarrhea 2-3 hours after you've taken your pill, also counts as a missed pill. You'll need to heed the same advice. If you've been vomitting or having diarrhea for over 24hrs, you will not be protected against pregnancy and will have to take action as if you've missed lots of pills.
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2. You're on other medications
Surprise, surprise: other medications can interfere with birth control. Some medications contain active ingredients that may interfere with your birth control. While most antibiotics don't interact with birth control, Rifampin has proven to interact with the drug. Rifampin is used to treat tuberculosis so you should be okay, however some medications to treat fungal infections, HIV, and seizures could interact with your BC.
What to do: Always ask your doctor if a medication you're prescribed could interfere with your birth control. If there's a chance, suck it up and put a rubber on. It'll save you so much stress. (I hear newborns can get cranky.)
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3. You store your pills in hot temperatures
This means keeping your BC in the glovebox of your car on a summer day could potentially get you knocked up. Even if you live in a warmer climate or vacationing, you should be conscious of where you keep your pill pack. Your BC should be stored at a temperature no hotter than 25 degrees Celsius. Humidity is also a factor in the pill's effectiveness, so keep them away from your bathroom's hot shower.
What to do: Store your BC in a cool place to avoid any scares.
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4. You're taking St.John's Wort
This medication is prescribed for depression and is also known to interfere with many different medications, not just birth control Many women who have taken St. John's Wort have reported unplanned pregnancies, meaning this is a medication to be extra careful with.
We'd never recommend you stop taking medication to treat your depression but if you're sexually active and taking oral contraceptive, we'd suggest having a conversation with your doctor about what choices are right for you.
What to do: Either find a different med for your mental health needs or throw those rubbers on.
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5. You just started to take the pill
Your first pack can definitely be nerve-wracking and its effectiveness all depends on where you are in your cycle. Health professionals recommend to start taking your pill at the beginning of your menstrual cycle or after your period so that you're immediately protected. If you don't want to wait until your next cycle before taking the pills, you'll have to use protection for the first 7 days to avoid pregnancy.
What to do: Begin taking the pill at the beginning of your cycle or use alternate protection for the first 7 days.
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6. You forgot your pill/didn't take it on time
This is the biggest culprit of birth control ineffectiveness according to Planned Parenthood. Whether you simply forgot your pill or messed up the time you took it do to time change when travelling, taking your pill on time is crucial to preventing pregnancy. While it's not necessary to take it down to the second or minute even, it is important to make a routine for yourself in order to take your pill on time. Certain kind of birth controls depend on your timely taking, meaning that a couple hours could make the difference between you and two...
What to do: Set an alarm for your birth control to make sure you and your partner are baby-free for as long as you want to be.