Can the birth control pill cause a miscarriage?

From our video partners

Family Health
Steps to take to create a healthy home.

The Pill and Miscarriages

Here is various input from FAQ Farmers:

• Yes it can. I didn't know I was pregnant and kept taking my pills and then had a lot of bleeding at once, so I went to the Dr. and was told that I had a miscarriage. So, if you know you are pregnant STOP taking your pills immediately.

• Here's something to think about. If you are on birth control pills, you shouldn't get pregnant to begin with. They say it's 99.9% effective when used correctly, but you also can't prove that someone used every single pill when they were supposed to and as directed (without taking meds that can counteract the birth control pills) so that .1% is probably just there as a precaution. If you're so forgetful that you can't commit to taking the pill like you should, go on the birth control patch instead. You only have to change it once a week, and just sometime within your change day. You don't have to change it at noon every time the way you have to take birth control at the same time every day. The fact is that if you're taking your pills every day when you happen to be pregnant, you made a mistake somewhere. Taking 8 of some birth control pills in 24 hours is used as emergency contraception, and you probably won't get pregnant if it's within about 3 days of the unprotected sex. Basically, it'll cause your period to start. But mind you, you have to take 8 PILLS in 24 HOURS for that to work. If it was as simple as just taking one normal birth control pill, I doubt emergency contraception would require 8 normal birth control pills. However, if you think you might be pregnant for any reason, call your doctor, take a pregnancy test, and stop taking your pills. Pills that alter your hormones can be severely detrimental to a developing child.

• The morning after pill is essentially a high dose of birth control pills. Yes, the pill can cause miscarriage, but I don't advise doing it except under the direction of your doctor.

• No. There is no medical evidence to suggest that taking birth control pills will harm the baby or cause a miscarriage.

• There is a possibility yes but there is a even higher possibility of birth defects or deformities with the baby. So stop taking birth control if you're pregnant hun. See your doctor for a blood test.

• Only the morning after pill will cause spontaneous abortion but stop taking BC pill if pregnant. Your body will produce all hormones necessary to allow the fetus to implant. No need to help it

• Do not take birth control pills if you are pregnant. This can damage your baby. If you want an abortion then go to your local clinic and tell them this. Don't try to abort your self. This could lead to death.

• No. They will most likely cause birth defects if anything at all. If you do not want the baby, consider adoption. There are couples who are desperate for children, you would be appreciated and you would have the chance to give the gift of a lifetime to both the parents and your child.
  
  
• Yes, a dirty little secret in the pharmaceutical world is that the Pill if taken in a certain way can actually work AFTER conception by preventing the embryo from implanting on the uterine wall. In other words, the pill can cause the baby to die. This is simply abortion by another name.

  The "Morning After" Pill is nothing more than the regular birth control pill taken in massive dosage to insure that the embryo will not implant.

  When taken as prescribed (every day) the birth control pill prevents conception by: 1. usually preventing ovulation, and 2. thickening cervical mucous to delay/interfere with sperm entry through the cervix.

  If the pill fails to prevent ovulation and conception, it prevents the fertilized egg from growing through "changes in the endometrium which reduce the likelihood of implantation" (a form of abortion).

  When taken as a "morning after pill" the mechanism of action is to prevent implantation of a conceptus (zygote, the fertilized egg). Prevention of implantation can also be a factor in preventing pregnancy in those women who forget to take the pill every day, and therefore ovulate. Ovulation can occasionally occur even when a woman never misses a pill [between 1 and 3 of very 100 women get pregnant while on the pill, and "research indicates that figure may be considerably higher, up to 4% for 'good compliers' and 8% for 'poor compliers'" (Potter, "How Effective Are Contraceptives?" Obstetrics and Gynecology 1996; 135:13S-23S.)].

  Although implantation prevention is apparently not the mechanism of action for the vast majority of women, especially for those who take the pill as prescribed, women who take birth control pills do risk the chance of aborting (killing) their unborn child.
  

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by NeilG. Contributor trust: 34 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 88 [recommend question]