Every woman takes birth control for different reasons, such as making their menstrual cycle lighter, relieving menstrual cramps, reducing acne, and regulating the menstrual cycle. However, the most common motive for women to take birth control is pregnancy prevention.
Although the most common reason for birth control usage is pregnancy prevention, there are times when a woman becomes pregnant while on birth control. This article will educate on the causes of pregnancy on birth control, the signs of pregnancy on birth control, and the different kinds of birth control.
What Causes Pregnancy on Birth Control?
Many different factors can result in pregnancy while on birth control. The causes differ depending on the form of birth control in question.
What Causes Pregnancy on The Pill?
When taken as directed, hormonal birth control, such as the pill, has an effectiveness of over 99%. Typical use, such as occasionally missing a pill or taking this birth control at different times a day, lowers how effective this will be to 91%. Although the effectiveness of birth control is high, even during typical use, there is still a chance of pregnancy. The most common causes of pregnancy on birth control are skipping or missing the pill, vomiting shortly after taking it, which causes it to exit your system, and taking medications that will reduce the birth control’s effectiveness.
What Causes Pregnancy on Nexplanon?
Like the pill, the birth control implant Nexplanon is over 99% effective. There is no forgetting to take this due to it getting implanted in your arm, so the effectiveness stays the same, and pregnancy protection lasts for up to 3 years. The causes for pregnancy on this form of birth control are because of failed insertions or the birth control’s effectiveness dropping due to certain medications.
What Causes Pregnancy on The Patch?
The patch is 99% effective during perfect use and 91% during typical use. Pregnancy on the patch can happen due to incorrect use, such as not changing the patch as often as directed, leaving it off for more than a day, or taking medications that lower the effectiveness.
What Causes Pregnancy on NuvaRing or Annovera?
Like other forms of birth control, the ring is up to 99% effective with perfect use, but with human error, the effectiveness drops to 91%. Causes for pregnancy while on the birth control ring are forgetting to put a new one in every cycle. If using the NuvaRing, it can not be outside of the vagina for more than two days during the weeks it is supposed to be inserted. If using Annovera, it can not be outside of the vagina for more than a total of 2 hours during the 21 days that it is supposed to stay inserted.
What Causes Pregnancy on The Shot?
This birth control is over 99% effective with perfect use and 94% effective if the shot gets administered late. If the birth control shot is missed or received late, a woman is most likely to become pregnant.
What Causes Pregnancy with an IUD?
IUDs are 99% effective because there is no room for human error as it does not have to get taken every day. The 1% of pregnancies that occur while using the IUD in the uterus are due to the IUD coming loose or falling out of place.
Signs of Pregnancy on Birth Control
The signs of pregnancy are the same regardless of the form of birth control. The most common are:
- Missing a period
- Bleeding that is lighter in color and flow that lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days, also known as implantation bleeding
- Tender breasts
- Nausea or morning sickness
- Frequent urination
If experiencing any of the above symptoms while using birth control, it is best to consult a doctor to confirm the reason behind it the symptoms.
Conclusion
Although pregnancy on birth control is not common, it can still happen. It is crucial to know the different kinds of birth control to choose the one that will work best for you and your lifestyle.
