How effective is the pill?
The pill is one of the most effective reversible methods of birth control. Reversible means that when or if you wish to become pregnant, you simply stop taking the pill. For every 100 women who use the pill, only 3 will become pregnant during the first year of typical use. Women who take the pill correctly every day (perfect use) have less than a 1% chance of getting pregnant. Typical antibiotics used for minor infections have never been shown to decrease the effectiveness of the pill. They may cause a woman to have some breakthrough bleeding, but is important to continue taking the pill. More potent antibiotics like those used to treat tuberculosis can reduce the effectiveness of the pill. If you are particularly concerned, you can use a back-up method like condoms until you finish the antibiotics and start a new month of contraception. The pill does not provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or HIV/AIDS. Correct and consistent use of the pill increases your p
