What If I Forget To Take One Or More Combined Birth Control Pills
Combined birth control pill packs of 28 pills contain 3 weeks of active hormone pills and 1 week of inactive or reminder pills.
If you miss 1 active pill:
- Take the pill as soon as you remember and then continue taking the rest of your pills at the usual time each day.
- You may take 2 pills on the same day . Its also okay to take 2 pills at the same time.
If you miss 2 or more active pills in a row:
- Take the most recently missed Pill as soon as possible.
- Throw away the other missed pills.
- Continue taking the rest of your pills at the usual time each day.
- You may take 2 pills on the same day .
- If you missed the active pills in the third week or row , throw the inactive pills away and finish taking the active hormone pills.
- Then start a new pack right away.
- If you are sexually active and missed 2 pills, dont have sex or use condoms every time you do have sex, until youve taken active pills for at least 7 days in a row.
- Talk to your health care provider about whether you should use emergency contraception , especially if you missed pills during the first week your pill pack, or had unprotected sex in the past 5 days.
What If Im Not Happy With The Birth Control Pill That Im Taking
If youre not happy with the birth control pill that you are taking and the effects they have on you, talk to your health care provider. Dont just give up and stop taking them. Your provider can ask you questions about what you have noticed and help you decide if the symptoms could be related to the pill you are taking. You may need to get used to the pill over a few more months or try a different type of pill. Hormone pills affect people differently. Some you may like, and others you wont. You may have to try a few different kinds of birth control pills before you find the one that is best for you. There are also lots of other methods to prevent pregnancy, so you can talk to your provider about other options.
Should I See A Doctor For A Missed Period
In most cases, missing your period while taking birth control is not concerning. However, if you have missed one or more doses of your pills, you have experienced nausea with vomiting or diarrhea, or you have taken medication that could interfere with your birth control, you should take a pregnancy test to make sure you arent pregnant. You can also contact your healthcare provider with any concerns related to your missed period or symptoms you are experiencing.
For more answers to your healthcare questions, visit our Knowledge Center.
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Are There Any Serious Side Effects Of Birth Control Pills That I Should Be Worried About
Most teens who take birth control pills have few or no problems. If you do have any of the following problems, call your health care provider right away.
Remember: ACHES
- Abdominal or stomach pain
- Chest pain , cough, shortness of breath
- Headache , dizziness, weakness, or numbness
- Eye problems , speech problems
- Severe leg pain
Blood clots: A blood clot in your leg or lung is a very rare but serious side effect. If you suddenly have pain or swelling in your leg and/or shortness of breath and/or chest pain, see your health care provider right away or go to the emergency room. If you have a history of blood clots, you should not take the Pill. Tell your health care provider if anyone in your family has ever had blood clots, especially when they were young. The Pill increases the risk of blood clots by three to fourfold, which is less than with pregnancy. Blood clots are more likely to develop if youre also a smoker, overweight, having surgery, or sitting on a plane for a long time. To lessen your chances of blood clots, dont smoke, and if youre on a long plane trip, get up, walk around, and drink lots of water. If you do smoke, it is important that your doctor knows about your smoking before you start the pill. If youre scheduled for surgery, and wont be able to move around much after surgery, ask your health care provider about stopping the Pill for 3-4 weeks before surgery and after the surgery until you are walking around normally.
Youre Not 100% Protected From Pregnancy Yet
This one is especially important for sexually active women: Dont stop using protection your first month on birth control, because you can still get pregnant! Opting for back-up protection is your best and safest bet. During your first month, there is still a chance that you ovulated before starting the first pill, so there could still be an egg ready for fertilization. After your first month, the hormones in the active pills should prevent you from ovulating altogether. Always use a backup method, and check out Planned Parenthood for more information about what options are available to you.
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Recap: Your Period On Birth Control
We get it: We’ve been taught that getting your period is a natural sign of femininity and means that everything is working normally for having babies. But the truth is that having your period on birth control is not the same thing as natural menstruation. Instead, it’s a different beast altogether.
*Editor’s Note: If you’re having irregular periods or spotting and you’re NOT taking birth control, then you should follow up with your doctor.
You should know that:
Changes to your periods are typical when you’re taking birth control pills. Make sure you’re taking your pills as directed.
Unless you have other concerning symptoms, not having your period while taking the placebo birth control pills does not automatically mean you’re pregnant. However, you can check with your doctor if you’re unsure.
Once you stop using birth control, then your periods should go back to normal, and your chances of getting pregnant will return to normal.
As always, if you have bothersome irregular bleeding, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor. There may be a way to change your method, or they can let you know if it’s something that will go away anytime soon. It’s super helpful to track what’s going so you can present that to your doctor. Believe us, they like data, so record the dates it’s happening and what it looks/feels like. You’ve got this!
You Can Get Pregnant During Your Period
Itâs time to squash that age-old myth: Your period doesnât protect you from pregnancy. There are a couple of reasons why. First, some women may bleed when their ovaries release an egg each month, called ovulation, and mistake it for their period. Youâre at your peak fertility when you ovulate. So if you have sex during this time, it could actually make you more likely to get pregnant.
Second, you may ovulate before your period is over or within a few days after the bleeding stops. Since sperm can hang out in your body for up to 3 days, having sex during your period could lead to conception.
Use a condom or other form of birth control to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, no matter what time of the month it is.
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When To Start Birth Control Pills
There are three approaches that people tend to use when starting birth control pills.
1. Start immediately
This is the easiest approach. If youâre eager to get started, you can take your first oral contraceptive at any time. Take your pill at the same time every day to ensure effectiveness. Use back up contraception like condoms for one week while the pill kicks in.
2. Start during your period
If you receive your birth control prescription while you are on your period, thereâs no reason you can’t start your pack that same day. Remember to use backup birth control for the first seven days as your body adjusts and your oral contraceptives become effective.
3. Start on Sunday
Some people choose to start their birth control pills on the Sunday following their period. This is due to some birth control packs beginning on a Sunday, but itâs unnecessary to start taking your oral contraceptives on any specific day in relation to your menstrual cycle. You can start on any day. Just remember to use back up protection for a week.
Your Period Changes Throughout Your Life
Just when you start to feel like you can predict exactly when your period is going to show, everything can change. For that, you can thank the hormone shifts that happen throughout your lifetime.
Once you get your very first period, your cycles may be longer, meaning more time may pass between when one period starts to the next. A typical cycle for a teenage girl may be 21 to 45 days. Over time, they get shorter and more predictable, averaging about 21 to 35 days.
Hormone changes that happen during perimenopause — the years before menopause when your body starts to make less estrogen — can throw you for a loop. The time from one period to the next may get shorter or longer, and you may have heavier or lighter bleeding during your period. This phase can last up to 10 years before you start menopause and stop getting your period for good.
Gradual life changes are normal, but sudden, unusual issues like very heavy bleeding or missed periods are not. Talk with your doctor if you notice that something seems off.
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What Do I Do If I Missed A Birth Control Pill
The pill works best if you take it every day on schedule, but almost everyone on the pill forgets to take it sometimes. Knowing what to do when you miss a birth control pill is important.
Heres a handy tool to help you figure out what to do if you miss a pill. Youll need to know the brand name of the pill youre on in order to use this tool. You can find the name on your pill pack or by calling your doctor or the drugstore where you got it.
If you cant find out the name of your pill, use a condom anytime you have vaginal sex until you can talk with your nurse or doctor. If youve already had sex in the last 5 days since making a pill mistake, you may want to use emergency contraception.
If youre on Slynd and you miss 1 white hormone pill, take your missed pill as soon as possible, and then take your next pill when you were normally supposed to that might mean taking 2 pills in 1 day. If you miss 2 or more white pills, take the most recent pill you missed as soon as possible, and keep taking 1 pill a day until you finish the pack . If you miss 2 or more white pills and have penis-in-vagina sex within the next 7 days, use a backup method of birth control . If you miss 1 or more green reminder pills, just throw away the green pills you missed and keep taking 1 pill a day until you finish the pack.
How Do I Take My Pill Continuously
There are a few different ways you can take your Combined Oral Contraceptive pill, depending on your lifestyle and what works best for your body.
Usually, when you take the pill, you take 21 hormone pills, and then 7 inactive non-hormone pills which causes you to get your period.
When you take your pill continuously however, you only take the hormone pills, and you skip the inactive pills, meaning you also skip your period. You can continue to take the hormone pills for as long as you like.
Some people like to take the hormone pills for a few months at a time, and then take the inactive pills to get a period, before going back to the hormone pills.
Its up to you to decide how you want to take your pill.
These videos can help explain how to continuously take your pill.
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Should I Worry About Pregnancy If I Didn’t Get A Period On The Placebo Week
If youre on birth control and not getting your period during your placebo week, theres no need to worry, especially if you know youve been taking your pill every day. Its normal for your period to be lighter and shorter than usual, especially if youve been on birth control for a while. About 10-20% of people experience very light or no period after their sixth pill pack, while 10% of people do not experience any withdrawal bleed. Take a pregnancy test if youve missed your period and are experiencing symptoms of pregnancy, such as morning sickness or breast soreness.
If youre on the progestin-only minipill, know that only 50% of minipill users experience regular menstruation, so expect the unexpected when it comes to your period.
The Period You Get While On The Pill Isnt A ‘true’ Period
Sure, you bleed during the week that you take the sugar pills. But technically thatâs âmonthly withdrawal bleeding.â Itâs slightly different than a regular period.
Normally, you ovulate in the middle of your menstrual cycle. If the egg your ovaries release isnât fertilized, your hormone levels drop, causing you to shed the lining inside your uterus, and you get your period.
Birth control pills, though, prevent ovulation. With most types, you take hormones for 3 weeks followed by 1 week of pills without them. Though they keep your body from releasing an egg, they usually donât prevent it from building up the lining of your uterus all month. The period-like bleeding during that fourth week is your bodyâs reaction to the lack of hormones from the last week of the pill.
Recommended Reading: If You Have Irregular Periods Can You Get Pregnant
Is Birth Control Still Effective On Period
Shots: Birth control shots are one of the most effective ways to stop your period. At first, you may have a lot of bleeding. This eventually goes away, and the shots do a good job of stopping your period. Nearly 75% of women have no periods after a year of use, although breakthrough bleeding is very common.
Most people can start taking birth control pills at any point during their menstrual cycle. However, it can take several days for the pill to establish a consistent hormone cycle that prevents pregnancy.
The hormones in birth control pills dont remain in your system. Most women start periods again a few weeks after they stop using the pill. However, if your periods were infrequent before you started taking the pill, they will likely be that way again after you stop the pill.
The morning after pill may affect the length of your menstrual cycle, causing your period to come earlier or later than you were expecting it to. If you take emergency contraceptive pills in the first three weeks of your cycle, your period is likely to come early. Your period may also last longer than normal.
Shots: Birth control shots are one of the most effective ways to stop your period. At first, you may have a lot of bleeding. This eventually goes away, and the shots do a good job of stopping your period. Nearly 75% of women have no periods after a year of use, although breakthrough bleeding is very common.