How effective are birth control pills at protecting against pregnancy and STDS?

You do not need to take a contraceptive gel while on birth control. There is still a 5% risk of being pregnant while on the pill because it is not 100% effective at preventing pregnancy.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the previous answer!!! Better safe than sorry when it comes to pregnancy prevention. Many women use spermacides or condoms with the pill, just in case. The cyclic pills tend to have lower dosages than other oral contraceptives, so it IS a good idea to use other contraceptive methods, especially if you've ever gotten pregnant on the pill. The risk of pregnancy when taking the combination pill is 3%, in actual practice. Spermicides are actually less effective than the pill, however; your pill may not be the most effective for your body chemistry. But the answer to your question is less than 3%.