Going off pill question re last safe date

[Calypso]

After having been on the pill for many years I will be going off it shortly. I have been on a 28 day combined pill (azurette). I am on my last active pill week. I start my placebo pills Sunday, December 27. I usually take them at night.
I plan to simpy not take my next pack. I had sex (without other protection apart from the pill) on Wednesday am, Dec 23. Considering next week is my placebo week and I won't be taking more pills and sperm can live for a while was that sex safe? And when must I start using other protection? I have not had sex since then.

Am freaking out a bit about this.

[Mo]

The time when you'd want to start using a backup method of birth control is the day you'd normally be taking pill #1 of a new pack (in other words, the first day after you're done with the placebo pills). You won't experience any retroactive risk at that point, so that's not something you need to worry about; all you need to think about is managing risk moving forward from that day.

[Calypso]

Thank you! You've helped a lot. I didn't know what the sperm living in you for a few days meant.

One other question. I debated asking but might as well. I was out of town last weekend and after a night out with friends, on 12/19 don't explicitly remember taking my active pill. It's gone from the pack and wasn't lying around anywhere so I assume I took it. I did have sex after that but then started wondering if there was a possibility I didn't take it after all. I have taken all my other pills perfectly though and as mentioned have been on birth control for years plus am older.... I suppose I will know for sure next week but....should I be worried?? This is not a usual occurrence for me.

[Heather]

If you DID miss a pill entirely, and didn't make it up, then yes, that can impact the effectiveness of your pill, and neither age nor how long someone has been using the pill makes that less likely. But it doesn't seem sound to me to talk about a what-if here, since what seems most likely is that it's gone from the pack because you took it.

Plus, even if you did miss it, it's really too late to do anything about it now save wait things out.

[Calypso]

Thanks. I just always wondered how dangerous one missed pill was...especially in the middle of the pack. Not that missing any is a good idea but just looking to see how big a deal this is. As you say it's a moot point.

[Heather]

The typical use effectiveness rate for the pill -91% in one year- includes taking pills late every now and then or a missed pill very occasionally (though this is less of an issue when a missed pill is made up). And really, most people will have typical use effectiveness regardless, because flawless use, every single day, for a full year is just not something most mere mortals will be able to manage.

[Calypso]

Lol thanks. I appreciate it. I will stop worrying. Merry Christmas!