[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by SamF

There are other reasons to go on the pill other than to stop pregnancy.

As for the effectiveness

Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill - claim 99.8%

Birth Control Questions - claim 98%

The Pill - Birth Control Pills - Oral Contraception at www.Birth-Control-Comparison.info from Cedar River Clinics - claim 92-99.7%

As I mentioned before using a condom + the pill is pretty much 100% effective.

Well speaking from the perspective of a Gynaecology Nurse with almost 30 years experience, I can tell you that these statistics refer to people who use these medications correctly....and even then they are questionable.
I have met so many girls and women who have put their hand on their heart and told me that they have used the medication according to the manufacturers instructions, but on more close questioning they will admit to having had too much to drink....vomitting and thereby losing the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive....then not taking adequate other precautions(as advised in the literature contained in EVERY pack) for the prescribed length of time....hey presto pregnancy. Taking antibiotics which negate the effect of the pill and not taking other adequate precautions as advised on the literature in every pack....Having a dose of the runs and not taking adequate other precautions etc.
Mostly user failure....so there you go...not as straight forward as you might believe. Some women just cannot tolerate the oral contraceptive.......despite many changes of product. I could go on and on. The best and safest/surest way is to say NO !