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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you have got pregnant whilst on the Pill?

145 replies

HeyNannyNanny · 10/09/2016 20:38

I had decided to go on to the pill once my implant expired as I'd being having numerous problems with it; mostly completely unpredictable periods. Though also possibly weight gain and mood swings. (But possibly I'm just moody and chubby).

However, after talking to my Mum about it - I'm completely off put. It turns out she got pregnant three times on the pill; 26 years ago, 14 years ago and 8 years ago. She says its only effective in ideal circumstances and that if you are ill (namely sickness or diarrhoea) it is far less likely to work. She has recently had a coil, and says it was excrutiatingly painful, so another option gone.

My implant has now expired, so I'm really keen on finding an alternative.
NHS online says the pill is 99% effective, but clearly not in my immediate family.

May I ask if you or anyone you know has got pregnant whilst on the Pill? Is it just my Mum and her super-human fertility?

OP posts:
cluelessnchaos · 10/09/2016 23:49

Yup three, once at 19 and then again at 24 and again at 35. Basically everyone I was on it. Mirena works really well fir me and vasectomies (I hope)

CwtchMeQuick · 10/09/2016 23:58

Once on cerazette but I'm not convinced I took it correctly. Also one on a low oestrogen pill that I took late but within the 12 hour window. I've learnt I can't take pills more than a few hours out, has to be exactly the same time each night or I'm pregnant

Arfarfanarf · 11/09/2016 00:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PGPsabitch · 11/09/2016 00:20

Yes but then I've known an equal amount who haven't and only one of them doubled up with condoms.

All the pill pregnancies were user errors; one too st John's wort, one have a bad gastro bug for 2 weeks, 1 kept forgetting and one pretended she was taking it so she could get pregnant.

What about doubling up? Pill and condoms?

Ditsy4 · 11/09/2016 00:24

Yes twice. Miscarried first time got DD second time.

BeALert · 11/09/2016 00:30

I got pregnant on the pill (struggled to take it correct time every single day especially when breastfeeding), so I now use the Depo shot.

A friend said 'Oh be careful, I got pregnant on the Depo shot.'

Upon further questioning, it turns out she'd left more than the recommended length of time between injections. Easy peasy - I make sure I have the injection a week or two before it's due.

PepsiPenguin · 11/09/2016 00:36

If you have bouts of sickness or diaoreah then the pill can be ineffective.

I took it for years without any issues, until I was given out of dates one by a chemist which was my first experience of miscarriages.

Check the dates, read the warnings and if you are ill take extra precautions

Babasaclover · 11/09/2016 00:39

You must take it within the same 2 hours each day. I used to set an alarm on my phone. The only people I know to have got pregnant whilst taking it had a haphazard approach to it. There are even apps now that tell you when to take it!

CousinCharlotte · 11/09/2016 00:41

I got pregnant on the pill and the implant. I've got 4 dc's and none of them were planned Shock
They are all the result of contraception failures (although much lovedSmile) last pregnancy was twins, that was a big shock, but no way would I be without them.

CousinCharlotte · 11/09/2016 00:42

DH has now had the snip, thank god.

ShastaBeast · 11/09/2016 00:47

I was on it for years and never fell pregnant, despite some slip ups. I had thought I would have trouble conceiving due to polycystic ovaries so took a risk when the pill was causing nausea - I left too long a gap between packs - I fell pregnant with DC1. Luckily we were already planning a wedding and buying a house. Second was after coming off the mini pill and still breastfeeding - I thought it would take longer to conceive but I never got a period before it happened. I'm not allowed the combined pill anymore and find the mini pill etc causes depression/anxiety so I'm stuck. I've heard stories about pregnancies with the coil so am put off that too - I did try one but found it incredibly painful and that was after a birth without pain relief. I'm mid 30s so a long time left to avoid pregnancy.

CousinCharlotte · 11/09/2016 00:55

Shasta the deppo injection worked well for me. I was on it for 10 years, no pregnancies and no periods. Then Dr said I'd been on it too long, convinced me to have the implant and within a year I was pg with twins.

1pink4blue · 11/09/2016 04:28

i fell pregnant with ds2 when ds1 was 3 months old i was taking cileste.
my consultant told me his wife fell pregnant with all 3 of their children on the pill and my sil was steralized due to the fact she had suceeded in defeating all forms of contraception and falling pregnant on the pill,coil,and depo injections and whatever type of contraception she tried she had 7 children in the end before they steralized her

Simmi1 · 11/09/2016 04:45

No, but I fell pregnant within a couple of months of stopping each time (twice, two DDs). I used to hear about these pill failures and wondered whether the reason I hadn't had one was because I wasn't really very fertile. My understanding is that with the combined pill there's a bit of leeway so even if you don't take it at the exact time each day it still works. With the mini pill there's a lot less leeway so user error is much more likely.

Mypurplecaravan · 11/09/2016 05:11

Pill failures are uncommon but still happen. 99% just means every year 1 in 100 women who are taking it perfectly will get pregnant. Even sterilisation isn't perfect (male or female)

Implant has the lowest failure rate. Even lower than sterilisation. But does have side effects as you have noticed.

Perhaps mn should start an awareness campaign that diarrhoea or vomiting means your pill won't stay inside your body long enough to be absorbed and counts as a missed pill.

Lovestonap · 11/09/2016 05:21

Just thought I'd add that I've got the copper coil (got it because I didn't want to use hormonal contraception any more)

It wasn't painful to have put in (I was offered and took the anaesthetic injection) and it will last for ten years. For the first couple of months my periods were a bit heavy and painful but now they've settled down to being completely normal.

Also, I never got pregnant on the pill and conceived without difficulty (as in, every time I had unprotected sex) off it.

People's personal experience will always differ and i think you have to try stuff out yourself to see if it works for you

PrincessHairyMclary · 11/09/2016 05:55

I was taking it properly and had no problems for years, then I had a stomach upset that lasted several days a day or so after having sex - she's nearly 7 now and pretty awesome.

FairyDogMother11 · 11/09/2016 06:27

I had a mmc on the pill. I was on it for three years and this was around 18mths in. I took my pill religiously at 11 am everyday. I'm now on the implant as for the last six months on the pill I started having horrendous mood swings for three weeks of the month. I've been on the implant almost three months and I've barely shed a tear or raised my voice. Of course I could have tried amother pill which is the bonus of the pill. One of my friend's adorable bundles was a result of a pill not working and my sister was a result of the mini pill not working.

FairyDogMother11 · 11/09/2016 06:28

*another not amother!

Original poster
HeyNannyNanny · 11/09/2016 09:14

Thanks for all the messages

I think we'll give the copper coil a try. I can't say I'm looking forward to having it inserted but I think its worth giving it a go. The hormonal coil is progesterone like the implant, so I don't think there's much point in taking that if I want a change as I may as well just have another implant put in!

Whilst I'm sure we'd make the best of an accidental pregnancy, it really would make our lives very difficult right now!

OP posts:
SausagesAndMashed · 11/09/2016 09:38

The pill is very effective if it's taken properly. The majority of pregnancies that occur when using the pill is down to the user. This could be missing a pill, and the not using an alternative form of contraception until the pill is effective again, missing the late window, and not using an alternative form on contraception if you're taking medications which can lower the effect of the pill, or if the user has suffered from sickness and/or diarrhoea. If you read the leaflet provided, and take it in the way it suggests then it is as effective as it clains to be.

birdling · 11/09/2016 11:52

Even pregnancy doesn't protect you from pregnancy

Is no one else wondering about this slightly bizarre statement? Confused

Sallystyle · 11/09/2016 11:54

Yes

But I also got pregnant with the coil perfectly in place so...

Middleoftheroad · 11/09/2016 11:55

Yes - with twins!
But only cos I forgot to take it for one day. It was a shock!

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 11/09/2016 11:56

Yes twice

Once I wasn't being so careful about taking it. Second time I took it the same time everyday and wasn't ill

Obviously the pill isn't for me