Info: Questions and Answers about Birth Control Pills

What is the most important information I should know about birth control pills?

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Take your pill at the same time every day. Each dose should come no more than 24 hours after the last dose.

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Avoid smoking cigarettes while taking birth control pills. Smoking greatly increases the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot.

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Use another form of birth control if you miss several doses (see the package insert) or if you are taking drugs that decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills (see the section of this leaflet titled "What other drugs will affect my birth control pills?").

What are birth control pills?

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Birth control pills contain a combination of hormones that is used to prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). The pills contain a form of estrogen and a form of progesterone, which are both female hormones involved in conception.

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Birth control pills also have other effects that inhibit pregnancy. They cause the cervical mucous to thicken, which makes it harder for sperm to move toward the uterus, and they prevent the attachment of an egg to the uterus.

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Birth control pills are used to prevent pregnancy.

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Birth control pills may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking birth control pills?

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Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you

have high blood pressure, angina, or heart disease;

have had a stroke;

have a bleeding or blood-clotting disorder;

have breast, uterine, or another hormone-related cancer;

have liver disease or a history of jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) caused by use of birth control in the past;

have undiagnosed, abnormal vaginal bleeding;

have migraines;

have asthma; or

have seizures or epilepsy.

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You may not be able to take birth control pills, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

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Birth control pills are in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that birth control pills will cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can have very serious negative effects on a developing baby. Do not take birth control pills if you are pregnant or if you think you might be pregnant.

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The hormones in birth control pills pass into breast milk and may decrease milk production. Do not take birth control pills without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take my birth control pills?

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Take your birth control pills exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.

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Take the first pill in a package on the first Sunday after your period begins (unless otherwise directed by your doctor).

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Take one pill every day, no more than 24 hours after your last dose. Try to take the pills at a time that you will remember every day--for example just before bed, with a meal, or first thing in the morning.

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Taking your pill at night may help to reduce any nausea or headache that you may experience because of the hormones.

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If you are on a 28-day cycle, take one pill every day. When the pack runs out, throw it away. Begin a new pack the following day. The 28-day cycle contains seven pills that are either placebos (with no active ingredients) or iron supplements. These are "reminder" pills to keep you on your regular cycle. They are taken while you are menstruating.

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If you are on a 21-day cycle, take one pill every day for 21 days, then do not take any pills for 7 days. You should have your period during the 7 days with no pills. Resume your pills on the 8th day with a new package.

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Follow your doctor's instructions about using a second form of birth control when you first start taking birth control pills, when you are taking antibiotics, or if you miss a pill. If you are unsure what to do in any of these cases, talk to your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor about how to ensure that you will not become pregnant.

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Store birth control pills at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

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Missing a pill increases the risk of becoming pregnant.

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Follow the exact directions on your package information insert concerning missed doses. If you do not have a package information insert, call your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse to find out what to do.

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In general:

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If you miss one dose, take it as soon as you remember or take two pills at the time of your next regularly scheduled dose. There is little likelihood that ovulation will occur. You may, however, want to use a second method of birth control such as a condom or a spermicidal cream, jelly, or foam for at least seven consecutive days following the missed tablet to ensure protection from pregnancy.

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If you miss two tablets in a row, take the two missed tablets as soon as you remember or with your next regularly scheduled dose (three total). Or, you may take two tablets each for the next two regularly scheduled doses (one missed tablet plus one regularly scheduled tablet for 2 days in a row). Chances are much greater that you may ovulate so you must use another form of birth control for at least 7 days following the missed tablets. It is even better to use a second method of birth control until your next period.

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If you miss three tablets in a row, throw away the package and start a new package on the 7th day after the last day you took a pill. Use another method of birth control until you have taken a pill for 7 days in a row. Your period should occur during the 7 days without pills. If it doesn't, have a pregnancy test before beginning a new package of pills.

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Read all of the information in your package information insert. It may have slightly different instructions in the case of missed pills. Talk to your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor if you have any questions.

What happens if I overdose?

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Death is not likely to occur from an overdose of birth control pills. Consult a doctor, an emergency room, or a poison control left for advice.

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Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, vomiting, and menstrual bleeding.

What should I avoid while taking my birth control pills?

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Avoid smoking. Smoking greatly increases your risk of a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot formation.

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Birth control pills do not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases--including HIV and AIDS.

What are the possible side effects of my birth control pills?

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If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking your birth control pills and seek emergency medical attention:

an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);

a blood clot in the lung (shortness of breath or pain in the chest);

a blood clot in an arm or leg (pain, redness, swelling, or numbness of an arm or leg);

high blood pressure (severe headache, flushing, blurred vision); or

liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue).

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Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take your birth control pills and talk to your doctor if you experience

headache or dizziness;

nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;

breakthrough bleeding; or

breast tenderness.

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These side effects may disappear or be less noticeable after 3 to 6 months of birth control use. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you find any side effect very bothersome.

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The side effects listed below generally occur very rarely and are not considered serious. If you experience any of the following, talk to your doctor:

depression,

changes in weight or appetite,

vaginal yeast infection,

changes in your menstrual cycle,

oily skin or acné,

changes in your sex drive,

lethargy or fatigue,

bloating,

changes in your skin color, or

changes in your blood sugar.

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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect my birth control pills?

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Some drugs may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills, which may result in pregnancy. Use a second form of birth control if you are taking

a penicillin antibiotic such as amoxicillin (Amoxil, Polymox, Trimox, Wymox, Utimox, A-Cillin, Larotid, Augmentin, others), ampicillin (Principen, Omnipen, Penamp, Polycillin, Amplin, Amcill, Totacillin, others), bacampicillin (Spectrobid), carbenicillin (Geocillin), cloxacillin (Cloxapen, Tegopen), dicloxacillin (Dynapen, Dycill, Pathocil), nafcillin (Nafcil, Nallpen, Unipen), oxacillin (Bactocill, Prostphlin), or penicillin (Veetids, Pen Vee K, Bicillin, Permapen, others);

a tetracycline antibiotic such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Doryx, Doxy, Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs, others), minocycline (Minocin), or tetracycline (Sumycin, Teracyn, Achromycin, Robitet, Panmycin, others);

a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);

rifampin (Rifadin);

phenytoin (Dilantin);

carbamazepine (Tegretol); or

griseofulvin (Grisactin, Grifulvin V, Fulvicin PG).

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Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with birth control pills. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

As long as you are healthy and you don't smoke, you can stay on the Pill as long as you and your health care provider decide it's the right contraceptive for you.

No. In fact, the idea of needing to give your body a "rest" from the Pill is just a myth. What's more, many forms of contraception usually aren't as effective as the Pill, so there's a greater chance that you'll get pregnant.

No. Oral contraceptives don't protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other STDs.

Serious as well as minor side effects have been associated with oral contraceptives. Most side effects of the Pill are not serious. The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, bleeding between menstrual periods, weight gain, breast tenderness, and difficulty wearing contact lenses. These side effects, especially nausea and vomiting, may subside within the first 3 months of use. Be sure to discuss any concerns you may have with your health care provider. Please read the Detailed Patient Labeling included with the sample pack.

Although the Pill is one of the most effective birth control methods available, many women surveyed would stop using it--or avoid taking it altogether--because of the fear of weight gain.

As always, how much you weigh mostly depends on what you eat and how much exercise you get.

Certain drugs, including antibiotics, may cause your pills to be less effective. Use a backup contraceptive method (condoms or foam) until you check with your health care provider.

Simply stop taking your pills. Be sure to discuss your decision with your health care provider so that you can plan for a healthy pregnancy.

Not always. If you miss a period even though you took your pills exactly as you were supposed to, keep taking them as usual into your next cycle and be sure to inform your health care provider before doing so.

If you haven't taken your pills correctly, or if you miss two periods in a row, contact your health care provider to arrange for a pregnancy test. Stop taking your pills and use another method of birth control until you have seen your health care provider.

Take the Pill as soon as you remember. Take the next pill at the regular time.

If you forget to take two or more pills, please see the missed pill instructions.

Today's pill is now available in a number of low-dose formulations with less hormones than the Pills your mother may have taken. These different brands have either 35 micrograms (mcg), 30 mcg, or 20 mcg of estrogen - and all are 99% effective when taken as directed.

The Pill prevents pregnancy in two ways: it directly stops the ovary from releasing an egg, and it prevents the man's sperm from entering the uterus by thickening the mucus produced by the woman's cervix so that it forms a natural barrier.

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Info: Oral Contraceptives: Advantages and Disadvantages

Comments

Comment #1 (Posted by an unknown user)
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I was looking for information about how long it takes before the pill is effective and it didn't answer my question
Comment #2 (Posted by Heather Good)
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Moderator: This is an excellent question. The simple answer is, if you start your pack of pills on the very day your period starts then you are immediately protected. If you begin any later than the first day of your period then you should use a secondary form of protection for one week as you may have ovulated.
Comment #3 (Posted by carrie)
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So you told me what the pill does to my body to prevent pregnancy, but not how it does that, like why the harmones cause your body to that. Also I was looking for some information on side affects that weren't listed, Such as being VERY moody, irritated, and sad.
Moderator: While many women complain of these symptoms while on the pill very little documented research has been performed to determine the extent and seriousness of the issue. I think it is one of the more common and frustrating side effects, and because these symptoms are not directly health threatening they are often trivialized, along with the equally common side effect of a sudden decrease in sex drive.
Comment #4 (Posted by jennifer l)
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i would like to see more questions asked by regular viewers of the website, so others may get there questions answered that way...i would also like to know if u canstart taking "the pill" anytime and how that would affect ur body
Moderator: We will be opening our forums for discussion very soon. These comments don't work so well for discussion because you can only comment once on a page. Then you must wait for me to approve it.
While it's not recommended you can begin the pill anytime but you must always use a secondary form of birth control for at least the first seven days. Take the 21 active pills until you finish the pack or until your period begins. Then take your seven-pill free/placebo days and begin a new pack of pills on the eighth day.
Comment #5 (Posted by K.E.)
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I took the pill the week after my period only for eight days didn't use any other method now my period came 14days early does that mean i'm pregnant or a chance of being.
Moderator: As always I must qualify my answer, I am not an M.D. but if you got your period it is unlikely you are pregnant. If you are concerned though, pregnancy tests are very affordable and accurate and available here at birthcontrol.com.
Comment #6 (Posted by kasey)
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what if u were onthe birth control shot and u stoped getting and u havent had a period in two months Does that mean that u are pregnant?
Moderator: Yes, you might be. It doesn't always take a long time for fertility to return.
Comment #7 (Posted by Kinley)
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It says to store pills at room temperature, what happens if the pills are left in a hot/cold car for more than 24 hours
Moderator: I'm sure this is a common occurence so there would be some leeway of safety. But more than a day or so I think I might use another package. Does anyone else know more?
Comment #8 (Posted by pp)
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I have been using the pill religiously for 19 years. I am 47 and have not missed a pill. I had sexual intercourse on day 7 of a new pack, but did not use a second means of birth control. Like a condom or spermicide. I mistakenly took another pill for that day. so that is 2in a 2 hour period. I became concerned with the second form of birth control, so I did use a spermicide within 3 hours of intercourse. Should I be concerned with pregnancy?
Moderator: I really don't think so. It's sounds like you took extra precautions and taking an extra pill would make it less likely for you to ovulate. Even being short one pill for the month won't matter.
Comment #9 (Posted by aa)
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I started taking the pill the day my period started which was 4 weeks ago. I had my normal period for 7 days, and now I have been spotting for 3 weeks. This doesn't seem normal. What should i do?
Moderator: Spotting is the number one most reported side effect of birth control usage. I would stick with the pill you are on for at least another month to see if you stabilize. If not, talk to your physician about switching to another pill.Even another manufacturer can make a difference. If it persists consider switching to a Progestin-only pill as this causes less breakthrough bleeding for many women.
Comment #10 (Posted by Alissa)
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I am looking for information on if my husband needs to use a condom even if I am on birth control just to be on the safe side or it is okay to have intercourse without condoms.
Moderator: The birth control pill is so effective at preventing pregnancy that unless you miss a pill there is no need to use any additional methods. (And that includes during the 7 pill-free days - you are still protected.)
Comment #11 (Posted by alsiha)
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I FOUND THIS SITE TO BE VERY INSIGHTFUL. I AM WORRIED ABOUT CONTINUING TO TAKE ORTHO-CEPT, BECAUSE IT WAS CAUSING SERIOUS DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ISSUES. I COULDN'T EVEN LEAVE THE HOUSE, I WOULDN'T EVEN DRIVE MY CAR! I NEED HELP IN PICKING SOME OTHER METHOD BESIDES THE PILL, BUT AT HE SAME TIME I AM THINKING I WOULD NEED TO EXPERIMENT MORE WITH DIFFERENT KINDS, BEFORE I TOKE A THREE MONTH SHOT OF IT. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TAKING BIRTH CONTROL, AND I STARTED OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR. PLEASE INFORM ME.
Moderator: With such severe consequences to hormonal birth control you should reconsider whether any pill, patch, shot or ring is really safe for you. No one should have to suffer these consequences just to prevent pregnancy. I urge you to consider alternatives like reversible IUD or even our FemCap cervical cap with excellent protection with almost no reported side effects whatsoever.
Comment #12 (Posted by Sherry)
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I thought this site was very usefull but i still have one question what should i do if i am just now starting to take the pill and this is my end of the first month.I am taking it and I have had my period for a week now and i usually have it for at the most 5 days. Is that a side effect?
Moderator: Begin your new pack of pills exactly seven days after you took your last "active" pill. Unpredictable periods are a side effect, but for most women they stabilize after a few months and their periods become more predictable while under the influence of artificial hormones. Take your next pill after seven days no matter what is going on with your period.
Comment #13 (Posted by Tonya)
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I am 25 amd have been on the pill for 9 years i have recently started having depression and anxiety attacks. my mother took the pill and years later started having depression and anxiety and got off the pills and said it all quit. Do you think this could be part of my problem
Moderator: Mom's are most always right.
Comment #14 (Posted by Anette)
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I just got on the Pill a little over a month ago. I went through my first pack and had my period while taking the placebos. Now I'm on my second pack a week away from the placebos and I just started my period! Am I suppossed to skip directly to the placebos or just continue taking the pack like normal
Moderator: Your periods can be a bit unpredictable as you first switch over to artificial hormones. They will stabilize. Continue taking your pills from your current package as usual, your next period will probably start during the placebo week.
Comment #15 (Posted by clarissa)
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i found this site informative, however i'm on the pill and had intercourse not realizing i'd missed 2 tablets, i've since taken them but is it likely i'm pregnant
Moderator: Probably not, while there is always a small possibility of getting pregnant while on the pill missing one or two pills increases this small possibility only slightly.
Comment #16 (Posted by Katie)
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I have been on the pill for 4-11 months now. Am i very much protected even if my boyfriend directly ejaculates inside of me using only the birthcontrol pill as our protection from pregnacy. should i be using another form of contreceptive. or are the chances of me getting pregnant still low. also how important is it to take the pill at the same time. do they say that just to make it easier to remember to take it or is it for medical reasons that it should it be taken at the same time everyday.
The pill is so effective that using any additional method of contraception is unneccessary. Keep in mind that the pill doesn't protect against any STDs or HIV so if you need protection you would need to use some form of barrier protection in addtion to the pill. The pill must be taken at the same time every day because it's "half-life" in your body is 23 hours. In order to keep the level of ovulation-suppressing hormone in your body high enough to protect you constantly you must take your pill as close to the same time every day as possible.
Comment #17 (Posted by Riley)
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I thought this was a very good article, however, it did not answer the one question I have been struggling to find an answer for. I have heard from more than one person that after taking the pill for a couple of years and then stopping, it may take you another couple of years to get pregnant. Is this true?
Moderator: This is not a common side effect of the Combo Pill. I think you have heard this mentioned about the Depo-Provera shot. This definately takes a long time to come out of your system completely with it being considered "normal" to not regain your fertility for a year after your last shot.
Comment #18 (Posted by Keisha)
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I just had baby 4 weeks ago, and I am going to start taking birth control again. and I was wondering how long does it take before I am protected. Because my doctor cleared me to be in a sexual relationship with my boy friend again.
Moderator: Use secondary protection for the first week you are on the pill, even directly following childbirth immediate pregnancy is still possible (I am living proof!) so you may ovulate just before your pills have a chance to prevent it. After one week though the pills will have suppressed any possibility of ovulation and you can safely proceed without worry.
Comment #19 (Posted by M.L.)
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This article calmed a lot of my birth control fears. The questions and answers gave me a lot of answers to my own questions.
Comment #20 (Posted by Mercedez)
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I have been on the pill for about 18 months now. I usually get naucious the night I take the first pill in the pack, but that's it. I have had no other problems with it until recently. Now whenever I take the pill (I am in midpack) I get extremely naucious. It's becoming a nightly thing. Is that common?

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