Dear Reader,

No. Continuing to take the birth control pill before or after a pregnancy is confirmed will not abort the fetus. It's also unlikely that taking the pill will have an effect on fetal development. Oral contraceptives don't cause miscarriages because they don't work in that way. Birth control pills — generally made of estrogen and progestin, a synthetic progesterone — essentially prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation or causing the cervical mucus to thicken. However, if a woman using progestin-only oral contraceptives continues with her pill pack while pregnant, she increases the chance of having an ectopic pregnancy (when the fertilized egg begins to develop outside of the uterus, often in the fallopian tubes). Ectopic pregnancies are dangerous and can be life threatening, so they need to be resolved quickly and appropriately. Some women can have sharp stabbing pains, cramps, or a dull headache that can become severe, while others may experience significant blood loss and go into shock if a fallopian tube bursts. These symptoms need to be reported to a midwife or obstetrician immediately.

On the other hand, specific medications, but not birth control pills, can end a pregnancy (a.k.a., a medical abortion). In the United States, Mifepristone, once known as RU-486, blocks the hormones that are needed to maintain a pregnancy. Methotrexate is another drug that stops a pregnancy from further development. A pregnant woman in need of a pregnancy termination can discuss this, as well as other options, with her health care provider or OB/GYN.

Alice

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