At a glance: the combined pill
When taken correctly, the pill is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means that fewer than 1 in 100 who use the combined pill as contraception will get pregnant in 1 year.
Can the combined pill fail?
Both combined oral contraceptives and progestin-only pills (also known as the mini pill) have a typical failure rate of 9 percent. Many women accidentally miss a dose or forget to start a new pack of pills. When that happens, the chances for an accidental pregnancy go up.
What are the chances of getting pregnant on the combined pill?
Contraceptive pill
Fewer than 1 in 100 women will get pregnant in a year when using the combined pill correctly. Typical use: around 91% effective. Around 9 in 100 women using the combined pill will get pregnant in a year.
