Birth control pill query

[Angeldelight123]

Hi there,

I have a couple of questions about the pill. I have been on the combined 21-day pill Rigevidon for 4 months now.

This sounds really silly, but is there ever a time during a pill cycle I am considered unprotected, even if I hadnt missed any pills/vomited etc?
For example, like during the 7 day break? Since i don't take any pills during that time? or am I fully protected equally every single day of my cycle, 24/7?

Also, when I restart my pill again after my break and go on to a new pack, am I protected right away once the first pill of the new packet is taken again?
Basically what I am asking is, am I constantly protected on the pill for as long as I take it, even during the week's break?
I am sorry for all the questions!

[Sam W]

Hi Angeldelight,

You can find out how protection occurs during the placebo period here: How do birth control pills really work, even during the placebo period?

And yes, assuming there are no gaps between pill packs, there should be no decrease in effectiveness.

[Angeldelight123]

Hi!
I had a read through that article, so does that mean I can have sex during my 7 day break worry free? Will I still have full effectiveness of my pill during the pill free week as I would while I was taking them?

[Eddie C]

Yes, you got this right.

As long as you take your active pills on time, without missing any, effectivenes doesn't take a break.

[Angeldelight123]

Thank you!

I am a bit confused because they say that if you were to stop taking the pill for any reason, the hormones will be out of your system in a couple of days and you must use another method of birth control in order not to become pregnant.. how come that doesn't apply to the pill free week when you aren't taking any pills? It's kinda worrying :/

[Karyn]

The pill works by doing several things over the course of the whole three weeks of active pills: it overrides your natural menstrual cycle at several different stages. If you stop taking them in the middle of the pack or miss one or more pills, then you're interrupting that overriding effect the pill has, making it more likely that your body's cycle will take over and result in ovulation. When you take the placebo week, the three weeks of active pills have done their job and ovulation hasn't happened, so the lining of the uterus is shed in a withdrawal bleed; starting the next pack of pills on time keeps the artificial cycle going.

If you haven't seen it already, there's a great visual explanation here of how the hormones in the pill work to prevent pregnancy over the three weeks of active pills. It might be clearer to you if you compare that with what happens in a normal menstrual cycle (the graphic also includes that information).