Many women worry about their use of contraceptive methods prior to becoming pregnant, particularly if there was no real gap between stopping the contraception and conceiving.

If you conceived during the first cycle after you stopped taking birth control pills, you run no greater risk of miscarriage than you would normally. It is harmful to be taking the pill only while you are pregnant.

However, if an intrauterine device (IUD) is in place when you conceive, then you do run an increased risk of having a miscarriage. The IUD has a higher failure rate than the pill—about 2 out of 100women using it in one year. If you do become pregnant with an IUD in place, your eisk factor increases to 25out 100 of having a miscarriage.  You will have to discuss with your doctor whether you should have the IUD removed or terminate this pregnancy.

As far as is known, the diaphragm and contraceptive sponge, jelly, gel, and foam have no effect on rates of miscarriage. Spermicides were once implicated in causing chromosome abnormalities, but this research has not been reproduced nor shown to be true.