Unprotected sex while on Birth Control

benicode · Newbie Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 1

I am on Seasonique, but due to some medication that I am on, the effectiveness of my birth control may have been compromised. I had sex with my boyfriend who pulled out, but was still worried because of my birth control. Because of this, I got Plan B and took it within 24 hours. Plan B instructions indicate that you can take a pregnancy test if you don't get your next period, however, since I'm on Seasonique, I'm not supposed to get a period for a couple of months. I don't want to wait this long to take a test, I'd like to take the test as soon as possible but still have it be accurate. What's the soonest that I can take the test and still be reasonably sure that it's correct?

helpisontheway · Veteran Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 750 Location: England

Considering you took Plan B, your chances of pregnancy are quite slim, however I have typed up the following response for more information, and in case anyone else reads this thread and wants to know more about pregnancy testing.

Tests are accurate from about 15 days after unprotected sex.

It is because the pregnancy hormone Human Choronic Gonadotrophin (hCG) usually takes a couple of weeks to rise to a detectable level - it is this hormone that the pregnancy tests detect.

After ovulation, the egg takes about 6-8 days to burrow into the wall of the uterus (implantation), once this happens, the body begins to produce this hormone (hCG) to prepare the body for pregnancy.
This level of hormone then steadily rises each day.

Early response tests can detect a pregnancy even sooner than this, because they can pick up a lower level of hormone than standard tests.

(Note: Pregnancy tests claim that their tests are usually accurate from the first day of your missed period - this is because there is on average, a 14 day interval between ovulation and the start of a period in the average womans cycle, which coincides with the 15 day rule. The actual absence of a period is a coincedence, and is caused by the pregnancy hormone hCG stopping the menstrual cycle, you do not NEED a period to test, just 15 days.)

therefore you can test for pregnancy 15 days after unprotected sex regardless of whether you were due for your withdrawal or not.

Please note:
1. You must always take a second test to confirm results regardless of the outcome of the test. I advise to take a second test 6/7 days later to confirm results. Therefore, if you HAD conceived, and your hCG levels were a little slow to rise to a detectable level and you first got a negative, they would have risen enough by the second test.

2. It is wise to invest in a good brand of test (such as clearblue)

3. You can get free tests at your local walk in clinic or planned parenthood/family planning clinic or doctors. they can also perform blood tests, which are usually more sensitive.

Hope this helps!

Unprotected sex while on Birth Control

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