Pregnancy: Could I Be Pregnant? / Question
Published: October 26, 2006
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am 19 years old and have been on the pill for roughly three years. I am not very good at taking it regularly as I usually miss a day, but always make up for it the next. This month I miss two consecutive pill at the end of the first week or beginning of the second. I took two for two days, and missed maybe two more pills this month. This passed week I've been tired (but I work early at a coffee shop), been a bit more hungary, and my breasts have been hurting worse than ever. This all started before when I should have been having PMS (after three years, I have my cycle to a science). There has also been more pain in my nipples than ever. I took a test four days before my period and it was negative. Am I just being crazy or could I really be pregnant? Thanks, ~Worried about Pregnancy
Signed: Could I Be Pregnant While On The Pill?
Dear Could I Be Pregnant While On The Pill?,
Because you missed this month, the pill will have a lower rate of protection against unwanted pregnancies for you and it is possible you could be pregnant right now.
Since you stated that you took a pregnancy test and that it came back negative, FX wants to be sure that you are aware of how these tests work. Pregnancy tests work by testing for the hormone hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) in a woman’s urine. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body begins to produce hCG. While some home pregnancy tests state that they can detect hCG in a woman’s urine as early as four days before her expected period, this is not true for all women as it might take up to a week after a woman’s expected period for there to be enough hCG in the urine that a test could detect it. So even though your test returned negative, since it was several days before your expected period you could still be pregnant. That said, you have two choices as to how you could proceed. You could test yourself again on the day of your missed period, and if that test comes back negative then test yourself again a week after that. If one of these tests returns positive, you could then schedule to meet with your doctor at that time. Alternately, you could also schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately if you want to find out as soon as possible so that you have time to think about your options in the event that you are pregnant (your options include abortion, adoption and keeping/raising the baby yourself).
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Some more information on pregnancy…
In terms of the symptoms you are experiencing and whether or not they are indicative of being pregnant, early symptoms of pregnancy include:
- Tender, swollen breasts
- Fatigue
- Implantation bleeding
- Nausea or vomiting
- Increased sensitivity to odors
- Food aversions
- Frequent urination
- A missed period
- Increased appetite
- A positive pregnancy test
Some more information on the birth control pill…
For those who may not be aware, the pill is a method of birth control that offers protection against unwanted pregnancies. It can be a combination of one or two hormones, Progestin and Estrogen. Your doctor, gynecologist, adolescent medicine physician or teen health center must prescribe this method. The pill works by preventing the release of an egg from the ovary and by thinning the lining of the uterine wall. It also thickens the cervical mucus in order to keep the sperm from joining with the egg. The pill does not offer any protection against STDs. Keep in mind that the only method of birth control 100% effective against unwanted pregnancies is abstinence. Any other method of birth control comes with a chance of becoming pregnant, although that chance may be very minimal – especially when that method of birth control is used as directed. With what is considered “perfect use” of the pill, which means using it correctly and consistently, there is a 99+% rate of efficiency. Typical use of the pill, which accounts for times people may forget to take the pill, leaves the pill at a 92% rate of efficiency.
If you already have had your period…
For your future protection, FX suggests that you speak the doctor prescribing your birth control pills about whether or not this is really the best method of birth control for you. In general whenever someone is deciding what method of birth control is best for her, FX recommends that person speak with her doctor. If you know it will be difficult to remember to take the pill everyday, the patch may be a better choice. Either that, or always use a condom to have a back-up method of birth control.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2005, 38% were speeding at the time of the crash and 24% had been drinking.
