Can stopping oral contraceptives increase pregnancy risk?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have been taking Yasmin for a long time. I usually never miss any pills. I got my period on the fourth day of taking the last pill, and I started taking a new pack on the same day without waiting for seven days. I got spotting for ten days of the period. I also had dizziness on the seventh day. I had sex on this day.

I consulted a gynecologist and found that my blood pressure was high. The doctor suggested that I take medication for my blood pressure and advised me to stop OCP. She put me on an IUD on the tenth day of my period and told me it is safe.

She prescribed me Crina NCR 15 mg. I continued taking Yasmin to finish the pack. After a week, I started to have bleeding again. She increased the dosage of Crina NCR to 15 mg and checked me again. She found that the IUD came down a little. She tried to push it in, but she could not do it.

Finally, she removed it and told me that we can put another one in the next cycle. I have completed taking Yasmin the day before yesterday and also stopped taking Crina NCR 15 mg.

I am 42 years old and I am hypertensive. I have beta-thalassemia and fits problem. I cannot take risks regarding pregnancy, and my first delivery was a rebirth for me.

Please help me.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The chances of getting pregnant after having sex on the seventh day of the last menstrual period are impossible. You were on Yasmin (Estrogen and Progestin) and you had bleeding with continual endometrial shedding, so the chances of implantation are negligible.

Also, you had an anovulatory cycle post-Yasmin withdrawal bleed when taking Yasmin regularly, so it does not allow ovulation and prevents conception. So the chances of pregnancy are very unlikely in your condition.

Using Crina NCR (Norethisterone) with Yasmin to stop bleeding is not justified since you were already taking a combination of estrogen and progesterone and increasing the progesterone levels will not help you.

Instead, you can be given antifibrinolytics, which can help you control spotting episodes. As you are 42 years old with a problem of beta-thalassemia and hypertension, using a nonhormonal IUCD (intrauterine contraceptive device) will be the best option to protect you from pregnancy and also from the hormonal side effects.

I hope this helped you relieve anxiety. If you have doubts, you can get a serum beta hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) test done, which is a conclusive test to rule out pregnancy. If the hCG levels are below five mIU/mL, then surely you will not be pregnant.

I hope this helps you.

Take care.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Thanks for the query. The day you start spotting should be considered your date of menses, and a post-IUCD insertion pattern like this is normal.

With an IUCD in situ (as confirmed by the thread) and a condom as double protection, the chances of pregnancy are minimal.

Regards