Birth control

[MissT]

Hi,

I'm left a little confused with my birth control - I take the pill - ( the one with 21 days then you have a break for 7 days)

I've been on this now for 3 months just started my forth I take it on pretty much the same time every day - maybe a 10-15 min range.

I was wondering If I am protected against pregnancy the whole time?? For example I just had my 7day break and am on the 2nd pill of My new pack - I had protected sex but I believe the condom slipped up a few times and I am a little anxious that it was not effective of preventing pregnancy for that reason - so am I protected on the pill at this stage of my pack??

Thanks

[Sam W]

Hi MissT,

It sounds like you take your pill consistently and correctly, and since you're several months in to taking it, you should have full protection from it. If you'd like a little more information as to why that is, this article is a great starting place: How do birth control pills really work, even during the placebo period?

Also, if you're having some issues with condoms and making sure they stay on, this article can help out with that: All the Barriers! All the Time!

[MissT]

Hi - so just to confirm from what I have read on the article once you got through that first cycle of pills - so long as you do not miss any or them late I am protected through from then on regarding if if had the 7 day break or where I am on the pills in my pack

I only got confused / concerned as I thought the break (7 day break) would mean the pill was out if my system or something like that

Also thanks you very much for your response

[Redskies]

Yes, that's right: if you take all your pills as directed, you have your pill's protection from pregnancy, at all times through the pack and during the break week.

It's understandable to have questions about the break week: it would be a strange concept for most other kinds of medication! But for the pill, the break week is included in how the pill works. It's very important to take all 21 pills - you can't have a week's break whenever you want! - but if you follow the 21 pills and 7 days break, 21 pills and 7 days break pattern, your body won't have time to make the hormonal and physical changes that would be necessary to create a pregnancy. The hormones you take in the pill also have an impact on other hormones that are involved in the menstrual cycle, and if you take the pill properly, those other hormones aren't in the right amounts to enable a pregnancy. By the time they could get there, you'll have started your next pack of pills, and those other hormones are now getting new messages that there'll be no pregnancy in this body.