Question about conceiving while on the pill?

Question

This is kind of a follow up to another question. When you conceive while on a birth control pill and experience "period-like" bleeding as a result, do you have cramping that is worse than normal? Are there differences between a normal period on the pill and this bleeding during pregnancy? (Length of bleeding, color, consistency) Any experience is welcome. Thanks!

Answer 1

When I was 38 years old, my children were 17, 15, and 12. I had been on The Pill for 11 years when I began experiencing some unusual stomach pains after eating. I began losing weight and developed heart burn. At my regular yearly physical I talked these symptoms over with my doctor and she diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome. However, during my pelvic exam she was perplexed that my cervix felt like I was pregnant. We both scoffed at the idea and she said several other things could cause that, but she had me pee in a cup just to rule out pregnancy. I gladly did, sure that pregnancy couldn't be possible, but was terribly worried about what problem was affecting my cervix (I was sure it was cancer). We were both totally shocked when the pregnancy test came back positive. She listened for a fetal heart beat and we heard one clear as a bell. A subsequent ultrasound showed I was 17 weeks along and I had no idea I was pregnant! I continued to have normal periods up until the one just before my doctor appointment. That one was slightly lighter than normal and a couple days shorter. At the time I was fortunate not to have much cramping with my periods so I can't speak to having worse than usual cramping. But, when I was pregnant and did not know it, I continued to take my Pill every day like clockwork and my periods were normal. Needless to say, the day I left my doctor's office in total shock, I never did take another Birth Control Pill after that (my husband had a vasectomy!!).