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Birth control question

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 9:26 am
by Mark19
Hiho, I wish to ask how do birth control pills work, my girl is taking them but I am curious, if for example I would have sex with her and then next day she would forget about a pill and lets say few days would pass (though which we wouldnt have sex) would there be any possibility of pregnancy? or with birth control such thing is not possible if we dont have sex when she stops taking pills but day earlier we have sex?

Re: Birth control question

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:20 am
by Heather
No method of birth control is 100% effective, so even when someone uses any method -- including birth controls perfectly -- there is always some risk of pregnancy. If you want to do what you can to help prevent that risk, and also do the only thing known to effectively prevent sexually transmitted infections, then you'll always want to back up with a condom.

If someone were to miss a pill at any point in their pack, then yes, that reduces the effectiveness of that method throughout that pill pack in which a pill, or more than one pill, was missed. It wouldn't matter if that happened a week before sex, the day before or the day of: pills missed at any point in the cycle reduce the effectiveness of the pill. When they're missed isn't relevant.

Re: Birth control question

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:25 am
by Mark19
Heather wrote:No method of birth control is 100% effective, so even when someone uses any method -- including birth controls perfectly -- there is always some risk of pregnancy. If you want to do what you can to help prevent that risk, and also do the only thing known to effectively prevent sexually transmitted infections, then you'll always want to back up with a condom.

If someone were to miss a pill at any point in their pack, then yes, that reduces the effectiveness of that method throughout that pill pack in which a pill, or more than one pill, was missed. It wouldn't matter if that happened a week before sex, the day before or the day of: pills missed at any point in the cycle reduce the effectiveness of the pill. When they're missed isn't relevant.
Thank you for your answer :)

I am wondering because im not quite sure if I understand how do those pills work. I know they stop ovulation which means no egg is released and sperm cannot find it because its not there, but if a girl for example stops taking pills at some point, after what time ovulation may happen? any time if she stops taking them?

Re: Birth control question

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:29 am
by Heather
We clearly describe how the pill works here: Combined Oral Contraceptives (The Pill).

And here: How do birth control pills really work, even during the placebo period?.

And yes: if someone stops taking their pills, they can shift back to their normal fertility cycle at any time.

Re: Birth control question

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 10:35 am
by Mark19
Heather wrote:We clearly describe how the pill works here: Combined Oral Contraceptives (The Pill).

And here: How do birth control pills really work, even during the placebo period?.

And yes: if someone stops taking their pills, they can shift back to their normal fertility cycle at any time.
Alright! thank you Heather :)