9 Mistakes That Could Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant (if you don’t want to)

Much is said about how pregnancy is a wonderful gift that belongs only to women. We don’t doubt that, but we also know that, at certain times in our lives, what we least want is to get pregnant.

If this is your case and you can’t imagine having a baby in your arms in the next few months, it is essential that you know the main mistakes that can lead to an unwanted pregnancy. Check out our list and learn how to avoid them:

1. Confusing fertile and non-fertile days

On average, the fertile period lasts six days each cycle, but it can be different from one month to the next, especially if your period is not very regular.

Therefore, it is necessary to know very well how to calculate it and keep a record of the dates when you are most likely to get pregnant, whether with the classic table or an application.

2. Using a contraceptive method that is inappropriate for you

If you never remember to take your medication on time, it will be difficult to maintain regular use of the pill, and this will increase the chances of an unwanted pregnancy.

Therefore, it is safer to go to your gynecologist to find another method, such as the IUD, patches or injections, that best suits your style.

3. Not planning ahead of a sexual relationship

Whether because they weren’t expecting to have sex or because they don’t have sex very often, many women are not prepared to prevent a possible pregnancy, so they don’t use any hormonal methods and don’t carry condoms in their bag.

However, the risk of getting pregnant in a casual relationship also exists, so it is essential to provide condoms (which also protect against STDs) or, as a last resort, the morning after pill.

4. Trust the withdrawal method

The warning is old, but still valid: withdrawal is not an effective method to avoid pregnancy, as its failure rate is 4% (40 times more than the pill).

This happens because the man is not always able to control the moment of ejaculation and because the lubricating liquid released by the penis before orgasm may contain a small amount of sperm, which are already capable of fertilizing the egg.

5. Use oil-based lubricants or any other oily product

Oil-based lubricants can dissolve the latex in a condom and cause it to break. Precisely for this reason, these products are almost no longer found on the market.

Another mistake is the use of “natural” ingredients, such as coconut oil or mineral oil, which have the same harmful effect on the material that makes up the condom. Therefore, the best options are water-based or silicone-based lubricants, which do not cause this problem.

6. Place the condom in the middle of penetration

The habit of letting things go and only putting on a condom after penetration has started can also result in a pregnancy if you don’t use another method of contraception.

As with withdrawal, fertilization can happen because the lubricating fluid that comes out of the penis before ejaculation already contains sperm.

7. Not using a contraceptive method postpartum

There is a good chance that breastfeeding will protect you from a new pregnancy, but it is not a foolproof method. In general, this protective effect only happens if breastfeeding is exclusive and lasts for up to six months after giving birth (provided that your period has not yet returned).

In this case, it is worth talking to your doctor about the best way to avoid a new pregnancy, especially when you are breastfeeding.

8. Think you’re past childbearing age

As they approach their 40s, many women believe that they no longer have a chance of getting pregnant. But as long as you have your period, even if your cycles are irregular, it can happen. Thus, the use of contraceptive methods should be continued.

9. Taking certain types of medication while using the pill

Some classes of drugs are able to reduce the effect of the contraceptive pill due to their action on the liver and on the walls of the stomach and intestine, modifying the way our body metabolizes and absorbs synthetic hormones.

These medications include some antibiotics (especially rifampicin), antimycotics, barbiturates, anticonvulsants, and natural remedies (especially St. John’s wort).

Therefore, before using any medication, always ask the doctor or pharmacist if there is any kind of interaction with the contraceptive pill. During treatment and seven days after it, condom use is recommended to avoid possible pregnancy.

It is also important to remember that condoms are the only method that protects against sexually transmitted diseases, so they should be used in all relationships, regardless of other contraceptive measures.

If you have doubts about the effectiveness of the contraceptive method you are using, or if you still don’t use any, be sure to consult your gynecologist to make a more informed decision. Pregnancy is wonderful, but only when you are ready for it.