If you take your birth control pill as prescribed (consistently and correctly, every day at about the same time of day), it provides 99% effectiveness from pregnancy during your entire cycle.
The birth control pill works in several ways:
1. Prevents ovulation
2. Creates an "undesirable" environment for sperm to pass through cervical mucus
3. Creates "undesirable" environment in uterus for fertilized egg (should sperm get through, and an egg is released)
The hormones in your pill work consistently in your body, throughout your cycle, to keep your hormone levels regulated so that you do not ovulate, your cervical mucus and uterus are unwelcoming to sperm or fertilized egg. This is the reason that the effectiveness rate decreases if you miss more than one pill: the hormone levels are no longer regulated, and your body can release an egg (ovulate) or your cervical mucus may be more "attractive" to sperm passing by.
Please know: the pill is not 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. There is no form of birth control that is 100%, but there are many forms that are 99.9% effective...and those are really good odds!
You can also use a condom to add another physical barrier (condoms are up to 98% effective at preventing pregnancy) if you are every unsure, or miss a pill.
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Good question!
If you take your birth control pill as prescribed (consistently and correctly, every day at about the same time of day), it provides 99% effectiveness from pregnancy during your entire cycle.
The birth control pill works in several ways:
1. Prevents ovulation
2. Creates an "undesirable" environment for sperm to pass through cervical mucus
3. Creates "undesirable" environment in uterus for fertilized egg (should sperm get through, and an egg is released)
The hormones in your pill work consistently in your body, throughout your cycle, to keep your hormone levels regulated so that you do not ovulate, your cervical mucus and uterus are unwelcoming to sperm or fertilized egg. This is the reason that the effectiveness rate decreases if you miss more than one pill: the hormone levels are no longer regulated, and your body can release an egg (ovulate) or your cervical mucus may be more "attractive" to sperm passing by.
Please know: the pill is not 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. There is no form of birth control that is 100%, but there are many forms that are 99.9% effective...and those are really good odds!
You can also use a condom to add another physical barrier (condoms are up to 98% effective at preventing pregnancy) if you are every unsure, or miss a pill.
Does this answer your question?
August 30, 2011 - 8:14pmThis Comment
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