While woman around the world depend on birth control to keep them from getting pregnant, oral contraceptives are the most popular because they are the most effective and have the lowest rate of failure. Even so they still create some concern when women experience a missed period on pill. Could this mean that they are pregnant?

Does It Mean I'm Pregnant If I Missed Period on Pill?

Not really for most of the cases. Chances are you are not pregnant even if don't get your period while on birth control pills. You can miss your period even if you have not missed taking your pill and you will be just fine. You might want to start taking a new package of pills the same way you were taking them before. If you skipped your period a second time you are probably still fine but you may want to check with a health care provider as well as take pregnancy test.

How Pills Affect Your Period

When the woman's menstrual cycle is stopped by taking the birth control pill, it is basically tricking her body to make it think it is pregnant. This was how the pill was first used, but many women who rely on the regular period cycle to make sure that they are not pregnant found that an irregular menstrual period caused by the pills was really disconcerting. Now women take the pill for 21 days with the hormones and then they take sugar pills for seven days which creates a "withdrawal bleed." It is kind of like a period and it seems to reassure women but it is not their true menstrual period. If a woman misses some pills during the sugar pill time, she may not have taken enough pills to prevent herself from ovulating. The worst time to miss a pill is at the beginning or end of the packet because it extends the "pill free" time period past the seven days.

Possible Explanations for Missed Period on Pill

In order to keep herself from becoming pregnant, a woman will take the pill. It will also keep her menstrual cycle regular. The actual cycle runs three weeks with one pill per day that contains the hormones; for one week the woman will take the pills with no hormones in them. You could still miss your period while taking birth control pills, this is called amenorrhea. Here are some reasons why you might miss your period while on the pill:

1.       Adjustment Phase

As with any new medication it takes your body time to adjust. Add to this fact that these pills will have an effect on their hormonal system and it is just part of the adjustment phase where the women's body is trying to adjust before it has a chance to become regular.

2.       Inactive Pills

Some women may choose to disregard the placebo pills so they can keep their period going or because they have made a mistake. If you do not take the placebo pills and begin take in the new pack right after the 21 days of pills that are inactive, you will end up missing your period. The placebo pills are included and should be taken those seven days in between your menstrual cycles.

3.       Seasonal Cycle

There are actually some birth control pills that have been created so that you only end up with your bleeding cycles four times a year. If you choose this type of seasonal pill, make sure you are clear as to when you should be bleeding and when you should not so you don't get confused.

4.       Changes in Lifestyle

There are always deviations that can affect you missing your period while taking birth control pills. Some women completely miss their periods while on the pill but other reasons could include a change in diet, weight loss or weight gain brought on suddenly, and stress. You never know what is going to have an effect on getting your period or the lack of getting it.

5.       Conception

Even though when taking birth control pills, some women still are able to become pregnant. If you have missed several periods and have not been taking other forms of precautions you could be pregnant especially if you have not completely followed the instructions on the birth control package. If you suspect you may be pregnant, contact your doctor immediately to see if you are or not.

6.       Hormones

The hormones that are in the birth control pills can very often stop your period for anywhere from one to three months. There are even pills that can stop your periods completely until you stop taking them.

7.       Illness

There are also many different illnesses that could cause you to miss your period, some of these include: thyroid problems, depression, ovarian cysts, kidney disease, and false pregnancy. If you miss more than one period you might want to see your doctor and try another form of birth control pill.

8.       Other Medications

If you are taking other forms of medications while taking birth control pills they could have an effect on your cycle. Some of these medications include antidepressants, steroids, and antipsychotics. Check with your doctor to see if they are the cause of your missed periods.

How You Should React to Missed Period on Pill

There are several scenarios with regards to the condition. It can be common for a woman taking birth control pills to not bleed at all or have a light period.

• If you have only missed one period but have not skipped any pills, you are probably not pregnant. If you do have any of the early signs of being pregnant, such as nausea, tenderness in the breasts increased urination, and fatigue, check with your doctor.
• If you have missed at least two consecutive periods whether or not you have missed your pills or not, you may want to take a pregnancy test just in case. If you haven’t missed taking your pills do not stop taking them unless your doctor tells you to.
• If you have missed at least one or more pills and you have missed your period, you should take a pregnancy test right away. If your test is positive, stop taking your birth control pills immediately. If your test is not positive, you need to speak with your doctor about alternative birth control methods.