The use of oral or injectable contraceptives at the beginning of pregnancy generally does not harm the baby’s development, so if the woman was still using contraceptives during the first weeks of pregnancy, when she did not yet know she was pregnant, she should just tell her doctor. and do not use contraceptives again until the end of the pregnancy.
Taking birth control during pregnancy also does not normally cause a miscarriage, but if a woman was using a pill when she became pregnant that only has progestins, commonly called the mini pill, there is a greater risk of ectopic pregnancy, a type of pregnancy that develops in the fallopian tubes. of fallopian. This is a serious situation that requires immediate treatment and can put the lives of the mother and baby at risk. Find out how to recognize and what the causes of ectopic pregnancy are.
What can happen to the baby
The use of oral contraceptives or contraceptive injections only in the first weeks of pregnancy, during the period when the pregnancy is not yet known, generally does not pose any risks to the baby. However, although it is unlikely, there are suspicions that the baby may be born with low birth weight, premature or with malformations such as gastroschisis and hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
However, prolonged use of contraceptives, both oral and injection, during pregnancy can be harmful because the hormones present in these medications, which are estrogen and progesterone, can also affect the formation of the baby’s sexual organs and cause defects in the urinary tract. , however these changes rarely happen.
In any case, it is important that the gynecologist and obstetrician are consulted so that the woman’s general health status can be assessed and whether there is any effect of contraceptive use on the baby’s development.
What to do if you suspect you are pregnant
If a woman suspects she may be pregnant, she should immediately stop using contraceptives and take a pregnancy test, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. If the pregnancy is confirmed, the woman must start prenatal consultations, and if she is not pregnant, she can use another method of protection against unwanted pregnancy, such as condoms, and after her period begins she can start a new pack of the pill.
If you have not stopped the pack before checking that you are not pregnant, you can continue taking the pills as normal.
Learn how to recognize the 10 first symptoms of pregnancy and take our online test to find out if you are pregnant.
Bibliography
- THORPE, Phoebe G. et al. Medications in the first trimester of pregnancy: most common exposures and critical gaps in understanding fetal risk. Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety. Vol.22, n.9. 1013-1018, 2013
- COLVIN, Lyn et al. Linking a pharmaceutical claims database with a birth defects registry to investigate birth defect rates of suspected teratogens. Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety. Vol.19, n.11. 1137-1150, 2010
- AYKAN, Duygun A; ERGUN, Yusuf. Hormonal Contraceptives: What if Exposed During Pregnancy?. Erciyes Med. Vol.41, n.1. 50–55, 2019
- CALLANHAN, Rebecca et al. Ectopic pregnancy with use of progestin-only injectables and contraceptive implants: a systematic review. Contraception. Vol.92, n.6. 514-522, 2015
- COSTA, Débora B. et al. Use of medications before and during pregnancy: prevalence and associated factors. Public Health Cad. Vol.33(2). 1-14, 2017
- WALLER, Dorothy et. al.. Use of oral contraceptives in pregnancy and major structural birth defects in offspring. Epidemiology. Vol.21(2). 232-239, 2010
- CHARLTON, Brittany M. et al. Maternal use of oral contraceptives and risk of birth defects in Denmark: prospective, nationwide cohort study. BMJ. Vol.352(h6712). 1-8, 2016
