Anonymous: I took my last placebo pill today, but I can't get my new pack of birth control pills until Sunday (6 days away). I am aware it will increase chance of pregnancy, but me and my boyfriend agreed no sex for at least a month. Will the effect of taking the pills a week late only make my next period come a little later?

Hi anon,

We aren’t doctors at Sex, Etc. so it’s hard for us to say because this really depends on your pill and the combination of hormones in it, as well as other factors like your personal menstrual cycle. You should speak with the health care provider who prescribed your birth control.

You and your partner have decided to practice abstinence for a little while. But, missing a week of pills will increase the risk of pregnancy for a little while, so if you and your partner decide to have vaginal sex, you may want to consider using a back-up method of birth control, such as condoms. Condoms are 98-percent effective with perfect use at preventing pregnancy and are highly effective at preventing the transmission of STDs. You can learn how to use a condom here.

I hope this helps.

Anonymous: i was originally on aviane which used to be the generic form of alesse. recently they cancelled aviane and i was given alesse free of charge for three months. now they have a brand new generic form called alysena. if i continue from alesse to alysena will i experience a decrease in protection from pregnancy? i generally take my pills the same time each day as directed. im also on the 21 pill pack.

Hi anon,

All hormonal birth control pills are 99-percent effective with perfect use at preventing pregnancy. Switching from one pill to another, so long as you never stop taking a pill each day, will not decrease any effectiveness. If you have specific questions about each pill and how they may differ though it is best to speak with the health care provider who prescribed them since we aren’t doctors at Sex, Etc.

I hope this helps!

Anonymous: Me on the pill + boyfriend pulls out = okay? I'd like a second opinion.

Hi anon,

The pill is 99-percent effective with perfect use at preventing pregnancy. Pulling out isn’t very effective at all on it’s own at preventing pregnancy, but used in conjunction with the hormonal birth control pill it’s OK if that’s something you and your partner are comfortable with.

While the risk for pregnancy is low in this situation, pulling out and the pill do not provide any protection against the transmission of STDs. You and your partner may want to consider being tested for STDs together at a local free or low-cost and confidential clinic. Find clinics near you here.

You may also want to consider using condoms. Condoms are 98-perecent effective with prefect use at preventing pregnancy and are highly effective at preventing the transmission of STDs. Learn how to use a condom here.

I hope this helps!

Anonymous: just curious about the pill. I've been considering starting it, but I my only reasons are a) convenience and b) more regular periods. Is that enough to start it?

Hi anon,

Lots of people use hormonal birth control, including the pill, for reasons that do not have to do with preventing pregnancy. This pill can help regulate periods and lots of people use it for this reason alone.

If you are interested in starting the pill you should speak with your health care provider to find the right one for you. You can also visit a local free or low-cost and confidential clinic.

Fina clinic near you here.

I hope this helps!

artism0310: I'm thinking that I might have a hormone imbalance (possibly due to PCOS/fibroids) that I want to take BC pills for. I have a good chunk of the symptoms - fatigue, low libido, irregular periods, etc... But if I take the Pill to balance my hormones, will it still be as effective in preventing pregnancy?

Hi artism310,

Only a health care provider can diagnose someone with a hormone imbalance, so you might want to speak with a medical professional. You can always visit a free or low-cost and confidential clinic near you to do so. Find a clinic here.

They can also prescribe and give you birth control at these clinics as well. The hormonal birth control pill will prevent pregnancy even if you are taking it for some other reason.

I hope this helps!

Anonymous: I've been taking Microgynon 30 pills for about a week now, and today I had sex with my boyfriend and he did ejaculate in me. I started taking my pill the morning after my period started (it started in the evening the day before). Am I protected? I have read everywhere that I should be, I'm just quite worried ):

Hi anon,

We aren’t doctors at Sex, Etc. so the best person to ask, since this question depends on your cycle and the pills you are taking, is the health care provider who prescribed your pills.

But, if you are concerned you may want to take emergency contraception (EC). If it has been fewer than 5 days since you had sex you can still take EC. If you are 17 or older, you can purchase it at a pharmacy. If you are not yet 17 you will need a prescription (this will be changing soon). You can get a prescription and EC at a local free or low-cost and confidential clinic near you. You can find clinics near you here.

You may want to visit the clinic with your partner because the situation you described does have a high-risk for STDs. You can be tested at a clinic.

In the future, you and your partner might want to consider using condoms. They can back up your hormonal birth control. Condoms are 98-percent effective at preventing pregnancy with perfect use and are highly effective at preventing the transmission of STDs. Learn how to use a condom here.

I hope this helps!

Anonymous: I just finished my first pack of birth control. Is it normal to have WORSE cramps than you're used to? I know my body is probably adjusting to all the hormones, but will the cramps get better after it does?

Hi anon,

Different birth control pills have different combinations of hormones. The reason there are so many different brands and combinations of hormones among hormonal birth control pills is that everyone reacts differently to different pills. One pill that works well for one person might make another have horrible cramps.

It usually takes about three months for your body to adjust to a certain pill, so it is normal to experience side effect at first that may go away. Your cramps may get better or return to what you are used to. But, they may not, some pills have a negative side effects for certain people and it just means that pill isn’t the best for them. But, all hope is not lost! You should talk with the health care provider who prescribed your birth control. They can help you find one that works better for you.

I hope this helps!

Anonymous: I've been on the pill for more than a year and had a couple of questions. This month Ive missed quite a few pills to the point that I'm just gonna start a new pack, but I've been sexually active. Since I decided to wait to start a new pack I haven't been having sex. But wouldn't my period have started earlier or wouldn't I have at least seen some breakthrough bleeding. I know there is always the chance that I'm pregnant. Lately I've been feeling nauseous and sick. My period is due for next week

Hi anon,

Missing pills and then starting a new pack can affect when you will period. Everyone is different and depending on what pills you missed, how many, when and what hormonal birth control pill you are on will effect when you end up getting your period and may explain why you haven’t spotted if you are not pregnant.You might want to speak with the health care provider who prescribed your birth control before you start a new pack. They can counsel you on what you should do.

However, as you said, there is a risk for pregnancy. The most accurate time to take a pregnancy test is the day before a period is due or if it is late. This is the only way to know for sure if someone is pregnant.

You can either take a test at home or in a local clinic. You can find free or low-cost and confidential clinics near you here.

You may also want to consider visiting the clinic to be tested for STDs since if you engaged in sexual behaviors without a condom there is a risk for the transmission of STDs as well.

In the future, you and your partner may want to consider using a condom. Condoms are highly effective with perfect use at preventing the transmission of STDs and they can act as a back-up method of pregnancy prevention if you forget to take a pill. Condoms are 98-percent effective with perfect use at preventing pregnancy. Learn how to use a condom here.

I hope this helps!

Anonymous: Okay so if a women misses one or a few pills, she's increasing the chance of ovulating? And if she does ovulate does that mean she's at risk for pregnancy till her next period no matter if she continues the pill for the rest of that month?

Hi anon,

Yes. When a person on hormonal birth control pills misses one or two or a few pills then they are at risk for ovulating which puts them at risk for pregnancy. Even if they continue to take their pills after they missed one or two, if the ovulation has already occurred, then the pills cannot prevent sperm from fertilizing the egg. While hormonal birth control can also help to prevent sperm from entering the uterus and fallopian tubes by thickening the cervical mucus there is still a risk that the sperm will reach the egg and fertilize it and that the fertilized egg will implant in the lining of the uterus, thus causing a pregnancy.

If the birth control pill is taken at the same time every day, however, it is 99-percent effective at preventing pregnancy.

I hope this helps.

Anonymous: Okay so I read that a lot of women who stop taking the pill and are trying to conceive can't for about a month+ because it's still in their system. If that's true then why is forgetting a few pills so "scary", that it is suggested to take Plan B and other back up birth control.

Hi anon,

Hormonal birth control pills work by stopping a woman from ovulating. A woman ovulates once during a menstrual cycle, so about once a month. This is why it may take a few weeks to a few months for someone to become pregnant after stopping birth control.

Each hormonal birth control pill only has enough hormones to effect the body for 24 hours at a time. If someone misses a pill the body may ovulate. This is where the pregnancy risk comes from when someone misses a pill. And that is why it is suggested that if a pill is missed that emergency contraception be used. Emergency contraception is just a high dose of hormonal birth control that works to stop ovulation from occurring.

I hope this helps.

Anonymous: I'm on the pill have been for a little more than 2 years. If I ended up getting pregnant on the pill, is there any risk for any type of birth defects?

Hi anon,

Hormonal birth control pills are 99-percent effective at preventing pregnancy with perfect use. If someone were to become pregnant while taking birth control pills it won’t effect an existing pregnancy and there will not be any birth defects. Hormonal birth control does not cause birth defects.

I hope this helps!