Scarleteen

Hi, I'm really worried about this! I have been taking my combined pills for 18 days yesterday. Yesterday I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend. I really want to know if I was protected, or if i have a chance of becoming pregnant everyone is saying different online to when i fully would be protected, my leaflet that came with my pills say after 7 days you'll be protected, but some people say online you have to wait a whole month to be sure and some people say that's ridiculous! I just really don't know what is right and I'm just really worried I haven't taken enough pills and will be pregnant!

So long as they are taken as directed, when pills are going to be at their peak effectiveness when first started depends on when someone started them in relation to their menstrual period.

Did you start using your pill when your last period started, or on or before the first Sunday after that last menstrual period began? If so, then -- again, so long as you are taking them properly -- your pill should have been fully effective by the end of the first week of use.

If, however, you started them at another time in your cycle (sometime after the first Sunday after your last period began), then it can take a full pack of pills for your pill to be fully effective.