Do Birth Control Pills Cause Miscarriage?

For years now, many women have believed that using the birth control pill can increase the risk of miscarriage. With so many myths surrounding this form of contraception, it can be somewhat difficult to separate fact from fiction. Do birth control pills cause miscarriage? Here's what all women who are planning to use the pill should know about this form of contraception and their risk of miscarriage.

A Link Between Birth Control Pills and Miscarriage?

Using the birth control pill as a form of contraception does not increase the risk of miscarriage, according to the American Congress of Gynecologists and Obstetricians. The main reason this medical myth has come to surface is because many people believe that it is unsafe for women to become pregnant on the pill. Some feel that miscarriage or birth defects may be caused if a woman becomes pregnant while she is taking the birth control pill due to the hormones in this method of contraception. No research has backed any of these claims, however.

Women who take the pill at some point during their lifetime are also not thought to be at a higher risk of miscarriage. It is important to keep in mind that the risk of miscarriage increases as a woman gets older - beginning at the age of 30. Thus, a woman has been on the birth control pill for many years may believe that this is the cause, when it actually may be due to the fact that she has aged.

Does Getting Pregnant Immediately After Stopping the Pill Cause Miscarriage?

Some medical experts have believed that women who became pregnant immediately after stopping the birth control pill had a greater risk of miscarriage. The reason this was widely believed is because it takes awhile for your body to go back its regular hormonal state. No medical evidence supports this belief, however, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Women often assume that the reason they are recommended to wait two months to get pregnant is because getting pregnant on the birth control pill may cause either miscarriage or birth defects. In reality, the reason is because it is easier for women to know if they are pregnant after they have began ovulating again and have gotten a menstrual period. It is not because getting pregnant immediately after going off the pill is dangerous.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that a link between birth control pills and miscarriage has not yet been found. No medical research shows that it is dangerous to get pregnant while you are taking the birth control pill, but it is still important to stop taking it once you have found out that you have conceived. Getting pregnant immediately after stopping the birth control pill is also not thought to increase the risk of miscarriage or birth defects.

Sources:

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, "Early Pregnancy Loss: Miscarriage and Moral Pregnancy."

Mayo Clinic, "Birth control pill FAQ: Benefits, risks and choices."