Timing to take Yasmin pills

[Juliaho90]

Hi there,

I am currently on my Yasmin pills and I try to take them at the same time every day as instructed. But I do know that it is ok at times to take it a bit late (within 12 hours of the usual time), am I right? But I wonder if it is ok and is the pill still as effective if I take it earlier than at the designated time? I have an alarm set at 10.30am everyday which is when I take my pill. But I tend to take it earlier, like when I first get up at about 8.30am or so because sometimes I have meetings at the designated time and won’t be able to take my pill then.

I think I just wanted to ask if it is as effective if I take it earlier than my usual time.

Thanks!

[Elise]

Hi there Juliaho90,

Yes, you are right, pills aren't considered late until 12 hours after the time you would usually take it. On taking it 2 hours early as you described, that is fine too, as you can see in our article here: Birth Control Bingo: The Combination Pill, taking the pill within the same 3-hour period each day will help keep your hormone levels as regulated as possible, which is the best case scenario if you want to be as close as you can to a perfect-use effectiveness rate. As you mention, if you are taking it between 8.30am and 10.30am most days, that's within that window.

Taking your pill early if you have a meeting that will prevent you from taking it at the usual time in fact is a great way to ensure you remember to take it that day, and it doesn't get forgotten.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

[Juliaho90]

Thank you!

Is it recommended though to take the pill at the exact same time each day? Like exactly at 1030am for perfect use? If I take it within the 3 hour window you mentioned, is that still perfect use?

If I was late on taking the pill on one day last month/on my previous pack, I took it at 8.30pm instead of 10am as it slipped my mind, does it affect the pill efficacy for this month/pack? I have been taking them on time daily this month and also started on time.

[Juliaho90]

Also I have a question that I am still slightly confused about.

I have been on Yasmin for more than a year now. And I know that protection from pregnancy happens immediately (within 7 days) when i started the first pill on the first day of my period. I complete the 21 pills and get a withdrawal bleed within that 7 days. And on my next pack, do I need to wait for a few days before it gives me full protection or does that protection happen immediately once I take my next pill from the new pack on time?

Hope that makes sense...

[Urna]

Hi Juliaho90,

Is it recommended though to take the pill at the exact same time each day? Like exactly at 1030am for perfect use? If I take it within the 3 hour window you mentioned, is that still perfect use?

It's still perfect use within the 3-hour window, the pill's efficacy stays the same!

If I was late on taking the pill on one day last month/on my previous pack, I took it at 8.30pm instead of 10am as it slipped my mind, does it affect the pill efficacy for this month/pack? I have been taking them on time daily this month and also started on time.

It shouldn't affect the pill efficacy for this month/pack, no. Even though you took that one pill late, you still didn't miss a day, so don't worry.

And on my next pack, do I need to wait for a few days before it gives me full protection or does that protection happen immediately once I take my next pill from the new pack on time?

You're fully protected throughout period week, and also during the week after, as long as you're taking the pills from the new pack on time.