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Is Pregnancy Possible While On Birth Control Pills?
Question: Hi,
I stopped taking my contraceptive pill on Thursday 12th August 2016 (last pill taken). I haven't yet started my period but I have had unprotected sexual intercourse with my husband. I have taken a pregnancy test but it has come back negative but I'm having some signs of pregnancy.
I stopped taking my contraceptive pill on Thursday 12th August 2016 (last pill taken). I haven't yet started my period but I have had unprotected sexual intercourse with my husband. I have taken a pregnancy test but it has come back negative but I'm having some signs of pregnancy.
Brief Answer:
Possibly you are ovulating rather than pregnant.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I am guessing from what you wrote that you are trying to conceive.
It is very unlikely that you are pregnant now if you were on contraceptive pills regularly for several months prior to ending on August 12.
It can take up to 3 months after discontinuing the pill to start to ovulate regularly. Many women do return to ovulating in their first month off though.
Possibly the symptoms you are having are related to the higher hormones around ovulation. Breast tenderness can happen around this time.
The sequence in a normal 28 day menstrual cycle are roughly as such:
Day 1: menstruation begins and all hormones are at their lowest amount.
Day 5: the body starts selecting a follicle on one of the ovaries to mature; estrogen is increasing.
Day 14: The ovary with the mature follicle releases an egg. Best time for fertilization is shortly before or during this time. The egg lives for about 24 hours. Cervical mucus that comes out the vagina is at it's thinnest and most copious at this time.
Day 16: The remaining follicle is producing progesterone and the uterine lining is maturing. Implantation happens a few days after the egg is fertilized.
Day 28 (roughly - depending on the length of your cycle): If you have conceived, there will usually be no menstrual bleeding. If you have not conceived, your estrogen drops and your body starts breaking down the uterine lining which leads to bleeding (i.e. menstruation).
So - ovulation happens around 14 days before your expected period.
I hope this information helps.
Possibly you are ovulating rather than pregnant.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I am guessing from what you wrote that you are trying to conceive.
It is very unlikely that you are pregnant now if you were on contraceptive pills regularly for several months prior to ending on August 12.
It can take up to 3 months after discontinuing the pill to start to ovulate regularly. Many women do return to ovulating in their first month off though.
Possibly the symptoms you are having are related to the higher hormones around ovulation. Breast tenderness can happen around this time.
The sequence in a normal 28 day menstrual cycle are roughly as such:
Day 1: menstruation begins and all hormones are at their lowest amount.
Day 5: the body starts selecting a follicle on one of the ovaries to mature; estrogen is increasing.
Day 14: The ovary with the mature follicle releases an egg. Best time for fertilization is shortly before or during this time. The egg lives for about 24 hours. Cervical mucus that comes out the vagina is at it's thinnest and most copious at this time.
Day 16: The remaining follicle is producing progesterone and the uterine lining is maturing. Implantation happens a few days after the egg is fertilized.
Day 28 (roughly - depending on the length of your cycle): If you have conceived, there will usually be no menstrual bleeding. If you have not conceived, your estrogen drops and your body starts breaking down the uterine lining which leads to bleeding (i.e. menstruation).
So - ovulation happens around 14 days before your expected period.
I hope this information helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I'm am around my 14th day after stopping my pill, is this the best time to get caught pregnant as I have been pregnant before and it took me just over 2 months to conceive.
Brief Answer:
It's possible.
Detailed Answer:
It's possible that you could ovulate now. It would take a minimum of 14 days after stopping the Pill to ovulate. So you can try and see. Especially if you are having any increase in clear mucus.
It's possible.
Detailed Answer:
It's possible that you could ovulate now. It would take a minimum of 14 days after stopping the Pill to ovulate. So you can try and see. Especially if you are having any increase in clear mucus.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Yes I am having a lot of discharge mucus and I'm eating and urinating a lot more than usual x
Brief Answer:
Increased cervical mucus goes with ovulation.
Detailed Answer:
Then yes, this could mean that you are more fertile right now.
Increased cervical mucus goes with ovulation.
Detailed Answer:
Then yes, this could mean that you are more fertile right now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ok, I have been off my food since I come off my pill and eating loads of a certain food. I have also been feeling more tired, getting more frequent headaches, tenderness of my boobs, darker nipples and feeling sick throughout the day. This is why I thought I was pregnant. On my pregnancy test I took in the booklet it did say to wait 19 days after having unprotected sexual intercourse before testing.
Brief Answer:
Dark nipples are more a sign of pregnancy than ovulation.
Detailed Answer:
Women can have tender breasts around ovulation, but the nipples usually do not get darker - that goes more with the high hormones of pregnancy.
Urine home preg tests can turn positive by the 1st dy of the missed period but can detect most pregnancies by 19 days. If it's been 14 days since the unprotected intercourse you can try taking a test. It would be unusual to ovulate immediately off of the Pill, but unusual things can happen.
Dark nipples are more a sign of pregnancy than ovulation.
Detailed Answer:
Women can have tender breasts around ovulation, but the nipples usually do not get darker - that goes more with the high hormones of pregnancy.
Urine home preg tests can turn positive by the 1st dy of the missed period but can detect most pregnancies by 19 days. If it's been 14 days since the unprotected intercourse you can try taking a test. It would be unusual to ovulate immediately off of the Pill, but unusual things can happen.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ok, it has been 14 days today and I haven't had any period cramps or bleeding. I took a pregnancy test 2 days ago and it has come back negative, I don't understand why I am getting symptoms of pregnancy -
Light headedness, feeling hungry most of the time for certain foods and gone off other foods, lower abdominal cramps, feeling nauseous, tender breasts and darker nipples.
But I keep getting negative pregnancy tests.
I used morrisons own tests on my last pregnancy and I'm using Tesco's own this time, is there anything I can do or try as I feel within myself that I am pregnant.
Light headedness, feeling hungry most of the time for certain foods and gone off other foods, lower abdominal cramps, feeling nauseous, tender breasts and darker nipples.
But I keep getting negative pregnancy tests.
I used morrisons own tests on my last pregnancy and I'm using Tesco's own this time, is there anything I can do or try as I feel within myself that I am pregnant.
Brief Answer:
Thoughts on this:
Detailed Answer:
I guess we will have to wait a few more days and try again with a test then. If you have a primary doctor or OB, they might be willing to do a serum (blood) test which is accurate much sooner.
It's possible though that you aren't pregnant. The oral contraceptive pills provide a low level of hormones that prevents ovulation, and without ovulations, your own hormones do not surge. It's possible that with the removal of the contraceptive hormones, your own body's hormones are stimulating your breast tissue, etc and causing you to feel the symptoms you are feeling.
Thoughts on this:
Detailed Answer:
I guess we will have to wait a few more days and try again with a test then. If you have a primary doctor or OB, they might be willing to do a serum (blood) test which is accurate much sooner.
It's possible though that you aren't pregnant. The oral contraceptive pills provide a low level of hormones that prevents ovulation, and without ovulations, your own hormones do not surge. It's possible that with the removal of the contraceptive hormones, your own body's hormones are stimulating your breast tissue, etc and causing you to feel the symptoms you are feeling.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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