Taking the Pill to Cause a Miscarriage Does Not Work
Q: I'm 17 years old and I just found out that I'm pregnant. I'm really scared
and not ready. One of my friends informed me that if I take the birth control
pill it would cause me to have a miscarriage. I was wondering if this was true.
I know it's wrong and everything but if I were older and didn't have school
and other things to worry about I wouldn't even consider it. If I start taking
it how long would it take if it did cause a miscarriage?
Dr. Donnica: I am so sorry to hear about your unintended pregnancy.
I can understand how scared you are. As difficult as this situation is, I highly
recommend that you speak with one of your parents for advice and counseling.
In addition, I strongly recommend that you see a physician as soon as possible
to discuss your options and your medical condition. In large part, your options
for continuing this pregnancy will depend upon how far along you are.
Unfortunately, your friend has given you entirely incorrect information about
the birth control pill being able to cause a miscarriage and I hope you have
not acted upon this. What she is confused by is that there is a course of birth
control pills called "emergency contraception" which can be given
within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse to prevent implantation of a fertilized
egg. If you already know for sure that you are pregnant, you are long past the
time when this can be effective. Emergency contraception is useful in cases
of rape, contraceptive failure, or failure to use contraception. It should not
be used to try to induce a miscarriage or for regular contraception.
With best regards,
Donnica Moore, MD
President, DrDonnica.com
Created: 7/27/2003 - Donnica Moore, M.D.
