Is it possible to ovulate while taking oral contraceptives?

[elainabeee]

Hello!
So I've been taking Microgestin Fe 1/20 for nine months now. I've never missed a pill, and I've only ever been late by a couple of hours (this happens rarely, maybe once a month at most).
I just had my withdrawal bleed April 29-May 1, and it was normal for what I've been experiencing on the pill. So, I'm almost through two weeks of active pills in this pill pack: about the time that I would ovulate if I wasn't on birth control.
The last several days I've been having breast pain on the sides of my breasts (not the whole breast, just on the sides underneath my armpits) and occasional light cramping, similar to what I always experienced around the time of ovulation. However, I've been taking my pills perfectly and using condoms perfectly, so I'm not pregnant.
Is it possible that I ovulated this month, and that's what my symptoms can be attributed to? I'm not PMSing, because I'm only on the second week of active pills for this pack, and I haven't missed any pills this month. Can ovulation still occur on the pill, if it's a lower dose like Microgestin Fe 1/20?
Thank you so much!

[Mo]

We can't say it's impossible to ovulate when on the pill, but ovulation when you're taking it according to directions is very rare. Breast pain and cramping can be related to other causes than ovulation, too, so I wouldn't take those as signs of it. There's no real way to know for sure, but statistically ovulation is unlikely and since you're using condoms as well, you're well-protected from pregnancy in any case.

[elainabeee]

We can't say it's impossible to ovulate when on the pill, but ovulation when you're taking it according to directions is very rare. Breast pain and cramping can be related to other causes than ovulation, too, so I wouldn't take those as signs of it. There's no real way to know for sure, but statistically ovulation is unlikely and since you're using condoms as well, you're well-protected from pregnancy in any case.

Thank you Mo! What could be causing these symptoms then, if I have an extremely low chance of being pregnant? I'm not new to birth control/this brand of the pill, so I don't think it's a side effect of the hormones. The breast pain only started in the past few days; it hasn't been occurring since I started taking the pill.

[Eddie C]

You know? Bodies are not machines, so they won't react the same way, always. Even when someone has been on birth control for a year, bodies react different sometimes. Is really hard to say why this is happening now, but you can always ask to your healthcare provider in person just to make sure everything is okay.

[elainabeee]

You know? Bodies are not machines, so they won't react the same way, always. Even when someone has been on birth control for a year, bodies react different sometimes. Is really hard to say why this is happening now, but you can always ask to your healthcare provider in person just to make sure everything is okay.

Thank you for your input!

[Eddie C]

You're welcome.