Birth Control

[coco_chanel]

Hello! My boyfriend recently explained his interest in having sex with me, (yay) but this would be my first time ever. I guess I'm just very confused about whether or not I should start taking birth control BEFORE I have sex with him ??? Or could I start after ? Like, if I had sex with him, (with a condom of course) but wasn't on the pill yet, would that be a big deal ? I just really want to know, and I've been scouring the internet and can't seem to find anything that helps.
I know that the pill can take up to three months or so before it becomes effective, so I guess I just want to know if I have to tell him that I have to be on the pill for three months (or until it becomes effective) before we have sex.
The internet has great answers for women who have had sex before, but I have not yet and this is all new to me.

Thank you!

[Karyn]

What form(s) of birth control you use are up to you, and depend on what level of risk you're comfortable with. Condoms on their own are highly effective when used properly, but not quite as effective as the pill. Combining two methods like condoms and the pill is going to offer you the highest level of protection from pregnancy - and condoms are always a good idea anyway because they're the only method that also protects you against STIs - but it's ultimately your choice. To give you an idea of what methods are available and how effective they are, we have a couple of good pieces that explain all your birth control options right here:
Birth Control Bingo!
The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method

For the record, the pill does not take three months to become effective. Depending on when in your cycle you start taking it, it can be fully effective after a week, although it's a good idea to wait one full pack before you go without a backup method, just because it can take some people a while to get into the habit of taking a pill every day.