The birth control pill is the most popular method used for contraception. When the pills are used as per the directions, the pill turns out to be effective, completely avoiding the pregnancy. The new users of the birth control pills always wonder, how long does it take for the birth control pill to work? This ensures that they don’t have to use any other method of contraceptive.
Here listed are some birth control pills and the time it takes for them to work:
Hormonal Birth Control
- These hormonal pills should be taken within five days of the starting of your period. In this situation, protection will start immediately. If you take this pill any other time, the pill will become effective only after one week.
Plan B
- This pill is to be taken after you have unprotected sex as early as possible. You will have to take the second pill 12 hours after the first pill and it will start working immediately. However, if you are pregnant, it will have no effect on you. Always remember that this is not an abortion pill.
Depo-Provera
- Depo-Provera is not a birth control pill, but a birth control injection, which will be given once in every three months. If you forget to take the next shot in the mentioned time frame, then you must undergo a pregnancy test before taking the next shot.
Medication Interactions
- Always remember that the pill will never work if it happens to interact with some supplements or medications. Yeast infection, antibiotics medications must always be taken orally, anti-seizure, HIV medications and St.John’s wort are some of the examples.
- If you are suffering from diarrhea or vomiting then the efficiency of the birth control will reduce. If you are consuming any of these medications, then it is better that you discuss your options with your doctor. If you know that the birth control will lose its effectiveness, then you will have to use a backup method, like a condom.
Are Condoms effective until the Pills start working?
- If you want to prevent pregnancy until the pill starts working, it is ideal that you start using condoms or some other barrier method for birth control, like a diaphragm. There are high chances that you will become pregnant in the first seven days when you are on the birth control pill, if you fail to use another method of birth control.
- Always remember that the birth control pill will not give you protection against STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), so it is advised that you use condoms, depending on the situation, after seven days are over.
Skipping Doses
- The combined hormonal pill, which contains both estrogen and progestin, will take some time to work, regardless of when you have taken it. Always remember that the pills containing only progestin will be less effective. For making it effective, you will have to take the pill, same time everyday, especially three hours later or earlier. Therefore, it will be better if you use condom to be safe.
If you are still unclear regarding when you need to take the pills, then you can refer to the packet of birth control, or take help from your doctor. You can use these suggestions to prevent pregnancy.
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