Scarleteen

I've been taking birth control for 6 years now, so I'm not new to the medication. I take it every day at the same time, and this is my last week of active pills before I get my withdrawal bleed. I just noticed that somehow I've lost my current pack, and all of the pharmacies around me are closed. I have a pack of backup pills, but they are 8 months old; the expiration date is not for another 4 months, but I'm worried that their effectiveness might be diminished by now anyways. How safe is it to use these pills?

Hi paige,

If the pills are not expired, then they are likely still effective to use. However, if you're concerned, you can try calling your healthcare provider to ask them about it. And, if you're worried about having sex while on the older pack, we advise using condoms as a back-up (if you aren't already)