Unexpected Pregnancy While on Birth Control: What to Know

Question
Our daughter-in-law just called yesterday with the good news that she is expecting their third child sometime toward the end of next May or early June.  She said this pregnancy was totally unexpected do to the fact that she just had a baby on January 12, 2004...eight months ago.  She said she was taking birthcontrol pills, but still got pregnant.  She was nursing the second child born in January.  Could birthcontrol pills harm an unborn fetus and could having a pregnancy so close to another be dangerous?  Any comments would be helpful.  Thanks!

Answer
There is no harm to the baby, the mother, or the pregnancy if she becomes pregnant while taking Birth Control pills, unless she continues the pills after the first trimester (13 weeks from the first day of her last period). After that, there is a risk of masculinization of a female fetus.  There is also no problem with becoming pregnant right arter her six week post partum visit.