Scarleteen

My girlfriend wanted me to ask a question for her, she started birth control during the week on the first day of her cycle. Her period was finished last night and we had unprotected sex because her doctor and the pill instructions said that if you start from day one of the cycle you are protected straight away. She takes the pill at 7pm but one day took it at 6:30pm and one day forgot and remembered at around 8:30pm. Obviously it will take a while to get used to taking it and she does set an alarm now but she wanted to know if she was still protected giving the fact it was almost 2 hours after she normally would take it, what is the time window on either side of taking the pill that would still give us full protection or in better words, perfect use of the pill?

It would depend of what kind of pills she is taking. If shes taking combined pills she has a 12 hour window to take them before it's considered as late. So 2 hours is totally fine. In case she's taking the mini pill (progestine only) she has a 3 hours window so again, two hours is still okay.

Most of pills tell you that if someone starts the first day of the cycle they are protected within one week. However here at Scarleteen we suggest to wait at least for a full package before ditching condoms.

She (and you) can have more info about oral contraceptives, here:

http://www.scarleteen.com/birth_control ... ation_pill

http://www.scarleteen.com/birth_control_bingo_minipills