If you are using a birth control method like IUD or hormonal birth control, it can be difficult to know when these methods stop working. Some birth control methods work right away, others take a few days, and some don’t work at all. But how do you know when your birth control has failed?
When women discover that their birth control method has failed and pregnancy is imminent, they may feel terrified or completely overwhelmed. And unfortunately, many women think they should just face the pregnancy and hope for the best. But miscarrying shouldn’t mean women have to risk their fertility.
Contraceptive methods work differently for different people, and what works for one may not work for another. If you’ve had an unplanned pregnancy, you may be faced with a decision to take the birth control pill again or consider a different birth control method. Unfortunately, birth control doesn’t always work perfectly, and sometimes a birth control method will stop working as you expect it to. For example, if you’re using a pill, and you skip a day or two, get pregnant, and then try to resume taking the pill, it’s not guaranteed to work.
Sometimes the birth control method you rely on just doesn’t work. When that happens, it’s usually because of one of three reasons: your prescription ran out, the pill or shot changed, or you developed an immune reaction to the birth control. Whatever the reason, it’s important to seek medical attention. Your healthcare provider can help you determine if an alternative method will help you or if you need a different type of birth control.
When you’ve just finished your period, you might think your birth control is the last thing on your mind. But it’s actually a very important thing. That’s because birth control pills are a highly effective method of birth control and stopping your birth control pill could result in pregnancy. For this reason, if you’re experiencing heavy bleeding or spotting, the best thing to do is contact your provider. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, they may give you a second trial pack of pills and give you instructions to change the method of birth control you’re using.
Why do contraceptive methods fail?
According to one study conducted by RTI International, countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which rank among the poorest in the world, have the highest rates of contraceptive failure. The study concluded that contraceptive failure is associated with a lack of interpersonal communication, conflict around family planning, and limited access to family planning services.
Most contraceptive methods fail due to human error. We make mistakes like using expired contraceptive pills or forgetting to take a pill, failing to consistently use a contraceptive method, or switching to a different contraceptive method without telling our healthcare provider.
Birth control methods fail for several different reasons. The most common reasons are too little or too much sex, irregular periods, or hormonal changes. They mean, why would you change your contraception method if you were having sex often, have regular periods, and (most importantly) weren’t having any side effects.
Contraceptive methods fail for a variety of reasons. Some are mistakes made by the user, some are unavoidable side effects of certain medications, and many are the result of medical complications. When you find out what caused the contraceptive method to fail for you, it may better prepare you for future fertility treatments.
Contraceptive methods fail for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s because women don’t follow the directions. Some fail because they’re uncomfortable. Some fail because the side effects outweigh the benefits. Some fail because women can’t spare the money.
Like human genes, some contraceptive methods may not function properly in certain people. Some contraceptive methods may not work at all, while others may work for a certain period and then fail. The most common reason is due to hormones. Hormones can change throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, and some contraceptive methods may not keep up with those changes.