Taking birth control pills while pregnant, does it harm the baby?

Birth control pills are one of the most popular contraceptive options used by women. However, what if you "concede" or get pregnant suddenly in the middle of taking birth control pills? Of course, you will feel anxious in your mind. What are the possible effects if you take birth control pills while pregnant? Then, can the consumption of birth control pills during pregnancy harm the fetus? Check out the following explanation.

What if you already took birth control pills while pregnant?

You may not realize that you are pregnant and are still taking birth control pills in the first trimester. It could be that you just started taking birth control pills even though you are already pregnant. Whatever the reason, you don't have to worry.

If fertilization has occurred and the fetus has formed, birth control pills will not cause miscarriage or birth defects in the baby. In some cases, there is a risk of you having an ectopic pregnancy (wine pregnancy) if you take the progestin-only birth control pill. However, further research is still needed to study the relationship between the two.

So, if you suspect you are pregnant even though you have already taken birth control pills, you can immediately take a home pregnancy test. If the result is positive (pregnant), stop taking birth control pills. Although actually taking birth control pills during early pregnancy is relatively safe for you and your baby, it never hurts to consult further with your obstetrician.

What are the possible risks if you take birth control pills while pregnant?

Given the function of birth control pills is to delay or prevent pregnancy, of course its use is contrary to those of you who are pregnant. This means that birth control pills are not recommended if you are experiencing pregnancy. Why?

During pregnancy, hormones in a woman's body are an important factor so that they are regulated in such a way. This aims to keep the fetus healthy and able to grow properly. Meanwhile, the birth control pill contains synthetic hormones, namely estrogen and progestin.

If you take birth control pills while pregnant, your hormonal balance will be disturbed. This of course is dangerous for the development of the fetus and has the potential to endanger the condition.

Although it has not been completely proven by research, here are some things that might happen if you take birth control pills while pregnant.

1. Miscarriage

One of the worst possibilities that you may experience while taking birth control pills while pregnant is a miscarriage. Even so, this is still uncertain with the data because there is no evidence to suggest that there is a relationship between these two things.

Moreover, the hormone content in birth control pills has its function to thicken cervical mucus and prevent sperm from entering the uterus. The goal is to prevent ovulation. However, if you are already pregnant, ovulation will not occur. This means that the presence of birth control pills in your body may not have any effect on your body.

However, if you just found out that you are positive for pregnancy while you are taking birth control pills, you should immediately consult an obstetrician. The doctor can monitor the course of your pregnancy in real time. By visiting the doctor, you will find out if your little one is okay or not.

However, that doesn't mean you can take birth control pills without supervision, especially when you are pregnant. Accidentally taking birth control pills while pregnant can be considered an abortion. The deliberate use of drugs to induce abortion is illegal and a criminal offense.

As with other criminal acts, deliberate abortion can be subject to legal sanctions in the form of a maximum imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of 1 billion rupiah. Abortion itself without medical emergency reasons such as a pregnancy that threatens the life of the mother or the baby she is carrying can be very risky. For example, bleeding, uterine damage, infection due to abortion, pelvic inflammation, and infertility or infertility.

2. Ectopic pregnancy

In addition, one of the problems that you can also experience if you take birth control pills while pregnant is the occurrence of an ectopic pregnancy. This pregnancy is formed outside the uterus. Usually, this pregnancy actually forms in one of the fallopian tubes.

When they form in their proper place, various problems can occur. For one thing, the embryo cannot survive and die. The placenta that is formed is also unable to get the blood supply it needs. Not to mention the size of the fallopian tubes that cannot accommodate a growing embryo.

In fact, using contraception can help reduce the risk of an ectopic pregnancy. However, it is precisely the use of contraceptives such as spiral birth control, implant birth control, mini birth control pills (progestin pills) when you are pregnant can increase your risk of experiencing this pregnancy.

Therefore, if you suddenly become pregnant while using the types of birth control mentioned above, you are advised to do a checkup immediatelyultrasound to ascertain the location of your pregnancy, whether it is formed in the right place or not. If you have an ectopic pregnancy, you may have to remove the embryo that formed out of place.

3. Birth defects in babies

Another possibility that you can experience if you take birth control pills while pregnant is birth defects in babies. Actually, the issue that taking birth control pills while pregnant can increase the risk of birth defects first appeared about 30 years ago. However, as with other possibilities, this still cannot be ascertained through data or research.

Decades ago, people believed that taking birth control pills while pregnant could harm the development of a baby's heart. This danger is believed to remain lurking up to three months after you stop taking birth control pills and are planning a pregnancy. The problem is, there is no valid research that can prove how these hormones cause defects.

The reason is, based on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no evidence that taking various types of birth control pills, both combination birth control pills and mini birth control pills while pregnant can put your baby in danger.

Until now, the cause of the baby's disability is not as easy to find. There are so many factors that can affect the development of the fetus in the womb. In one case of disability in babies, the causes can be manifold.

Therefore, you don't need to worry about taking birth control pills while you are pregnant, as this has not been shown to increase the risk of your baby developing birth defects. In addition, the birth control pills on the market today have gone through a series of clinical trials and are proven to be safe.

4. Premature birth

Another allegation is that if you take birth control pills while pregnant, you may give birth prematurely. However, this also cannot be proven by research.

In fact, if you regularly take birth control pills, the chances of you experiencing pregnancy are very small. So, when you feel that you are pregnant in the middle of your routine taking birth control pills, you should immediately take a pregnancy test to confirm the truth.

If you are pregnant, you should stop taking birth control pills immediately. Not only that, you better read the rules for using birth control pills before starting to use them. This aims to prevent various problems that may occur and endanger your pregnancy.