Loestrin Fe and Pregnancy: An Overview
(Loestrin Fe is equivalent to Junel Fe™ and Microgestin® Fe birth control pills. The information in this article also applies to both of these medications.)
Loestrin Fe and Pregnancy Category X
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. A pregnancy Category X classification is given to medications that should not be used during pregnancy, usually due to the serious problems that could potentially occur, such as birth defects or miscarriages.
Although Loestrin Fe is a pregnancy Category X medication, taking it during early pregnancy is not likely to cause any serious problems. Large studies have shown that there is no increased risk of birth defects when birth control pills were accidentally taken in early pregnancy. However, there is no good reason to take Loestrin Fe during pregnancy. It should not be used to cause or prevent miscarriages, as it is not effective for these uses.
Loestrin Fe and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that if you take Loestrin Fe correctly (without missing any pills), the risk of pregnancy is quite low. If you miss your period while taking the drug, you may want to consider making sure you are not pregnant (an over-the-counter
pregnancy test should be sufficient), especially if you have missed any of the pills. If you miss two periods in a row, you should definitely make sure you are not pregnant.
If you accidentally used Loestrin Fe for a while before you realized you were pregnant, it likely will not cause any problems, although you should discuss this with your healthcare provider. If you are pregnant, you should stop using Loestrin Fe right away. If you think you may be pregnant, you should contact your healthcare provider for further instructions.
