Morning After Pill And Its Options

We all know the morning after pill, but there are a range of emergency contraception options available to women whose other contraception has failed, who are not on birth control, or who did not use contraception during sex. Even if you are on birth control, you may still need emergency contraception after having sex if you did not take the birth control pill on time. What types of emergency birth control methods exist and when should you take them?

 

Hormonal – The Morning After Pill

The first type of emergency contraception is hormonal. These pills are often referred to as the “morning after pill” and usually contain a mixture of estrogen and progestin (or, in some cases, just progestin). The sooner after unprotected sex these pills are taken, the more effective they will be, though some are effective up to five days afterwards.

 

There are 2 types of morning-after pills:

  • A pill with ulipristal acetate. Ella is the only brand providing this.
  • A pill with levonorgestrel. There are multiple brands offering this like: AfterPill, My Way, Plan B One Step, Take Action etc.

Where to get the morning after pill?

Hormonal emergency contraception is usually available over the counter, from a pharmacy, without a prescription. In the past, a woman would have to speak with her doctor before being able to get one of these pills. Today they are more readily available.

The two brands on the market are Levonelle (take within 72 hours of sex) and ellaOne (120 hours). Even though the manufacturers have established maximum times, it is always best to take the morning after pill as soon as possible after sex.

IUD

The second type of emergency contraception comes in the form of a copper IUD. If you have an IUD inserted less than seven days after unprotected sex, it can be very effective at preventing pregnancy. What this method does is to make the uterus completely unreceptive to sperm. If inserted before ovulation, it will kill off the sperm before it can meet an egg. If inserted after ovulation, it will make it impossible for a fertilized egg to actually implant itself in the uterus.

This is the most effective type of emergency contraception, but usually has to be inserted at a doctor’s office that has a qualified medical professional and access to the IUD. The IUD is the most effective type of EC — it works 99 times out of 100. Read here about the the pros and cons of having an IUD.

When Can I Use Emergency Contraception?

Some women will use emergency contraception in the place of more traditional contraception like condoms or birth control pills. Emergency contraception is actually not as effective as birth control and other contraception methods, making it very important for a woman not to rely expressly on that as her only method of preventing pregnancy. Emergency birth control should definitely be used if you’ve forgotten to take the (combination) pill more than two days in a row (with mini-pills already after 3 hrs), if a condom broke or leaked or if no birth control was used at all.

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What Is The Best Day To Start The Pill?

You may have already decided that the pill is the best birth control option for you, but you probably still have a lot of questions. One of the most common questions women have before using this type of birth control is what is the best day to start the pill?

There are many choices and most people have their own point of view on this topic. The best thing for you to do is to understand all the possibilities and then speak with your doctor to make a final decision.

The Best Day to Start the Pill Depends on Which Pill You Choose

The answer to the question when is the best day to start the pill is a personal preference. A lot depends on which type of pill you and your doctor decide to use.

There are two common birth control pills: Combination pills which contain estrogen and progestin, and the progestin-only pills which are commonly called minipills or POPs.

The Combination Pill

There are three different approaches for choosing the best day to start a combination pill.

  1. The first option is to take the pill immediately. Women who choose this option still have the capability to conceive for the first 7 days after taking the pills. To prevent an unwanted pregnancy, it is important for couples to use a form of backup contraception, such as a condom with spermicidal gel.
  2. The second option is to begin the pill during the first day of menstruation.  Women who to start taking the pill on this day do not have to worry about using any additional forms of birth control.
  3. Finally, many women prefer to take combination birth control pills on the first Sunday after the beginning of their periods. Women who use a Sunday as the starting time are more likely to avoid having to suffer menstrual pain during the weekends when it can be more disruptive to an active lifestyle.

The Progestin-Only Pill

For women who choose to use the minipill every day is the best day to start the pill! It’s recommended to use additional birth control protection for two days afterward. However most experts suggest women should first take the pill on the initial day of their menstrual cycle to avoid having to use any backup birth control method. Many women switch from the combination pill to the minipill. These women can take the progestin-only pills the day after they finish their last combination pill.

Other Things You Should Know About When to Start the Pill

All birth control pills work best when women take them at the same time each day, but it is critical for the minipill to function properly. Forgetting to take a pill is easy. That is why most women like to link the time they take their pills to an everyday activity like eating lunch. It is best not to choose an activity which is too early in the morning or too late at night. Read here for tips on 6 effective ways to remember the birth control pill.

A couple more tips for timing birth control pills are writing down the first day you start each new set of pills on the calendar. Don’t forget to write a reminder to get next month’s supply to avoid running out.

This advice is only a guideline. Speak with your physician for more personalized information.

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What Is In The Birth Control Pill?

Birth control is something that a lot of people consider. It saves you the trouble of worrying about the consequences and allows you to live your life the way you want to live it. There are many different types of birth control methods available in the market but the most common and safest one for women is to take the birth control pills. Not only are these pills safe but they also help women in keeping their internal cycles regular too.

These birth control pills may be made of a combination of female hormones or may have only one hormone depending on their type. They are taken orally (ingested through the mouth) and the amount of dosage required depends on the type of pill being used. The characteristics of the two main types of birth control pills are described as follows:

  1. Combination Pills: The most common type of oral contraceptive. These types of pills are usually a combination of two female hormones: estrogen and progestin. They help prevent pregnancies in the following ways:
  • By thickening the mucus in your cervix
  • By suppressing the process of ovulation in your body
  • By thinning the lining of your uterus.

These are the pills that are more commonly used as compared to so-called mini-pills, which we will get to in a moment. Combination pills help improve your menstrual cycle as well as reduce the cramps associated with them. This in turn reduces the chances of anemia. They also help clear up skin acne which is an added benefit for them. The combo pill may also reduce the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer. Have a look at some of the other side-effects here.

  1. Mini-pills: Mini-pills, which are sometimes called Progestin-Only Pills (POP), are made up of only one type of female hormone known as progestin. These pills help thicken your cervical mucus and cause thinning in the walls of your uterus. Sometimes these pills may also act as ovulation repressants but that is usually a rare case. This is normally advised when you have shown sensitivity to estrogen.

Just like the combination pill, also the mini-pill is effective if taken daily at the same time. It is safe to use in case you are at risk of heart disease or stroke or are a heavy smoker. It is also safe to use in the case of breastfeeding women. However, with mini-pills, you have less flexibility with the timing (should not be late more than 3h), and if you forget or exceed the buffer time you should use a backup contraceptive such as a condom for at least the next 48h. If you’re on the mini-pill and find it difficult to take around the same times, have a look at our recommendations on how to jog your memory.

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History Of Thе Bіrth Control Ріll

A significant achievement іn thе history оf medical ѕсіеnсе was thе іntrоduсtіоn of birth соntrоl ріllѕ. It wаѕ a gift fоr thе women whо faced problems durіng abortions. Thе wоmеn could еffесtіvеlу control сhіldbеаrіng bу tаkіng a ріll. “Thе Pіll” іѕ thе соmmоn nаmе for оrаl соntrасерtіоn.

Women all over the world have been uѕіng birth control methods ѕіnсе аgеѕ. Thе mеthоdѕ еmрlоуеd by thеm wеrе nоt only ineffective but аlѕо dangerous. But with thе development оf Birth соntrоl Pіll, thеrе іѕ thе rеlіеf for wоmеn.

Thе bіrth соntrоl ріll wаѕ wholeheartedly embraced by women bасk іn thе 60s аnd today іt іѕ tаkеn fоr granted. Untіl thе іntrоduсtіоn of thе ріll, women еіthеr hаd to accept that thеу were going to bear children аftеr ѕеxuаl іntеrсоurѕе whеthеr they wanted them оr not, оr thеу had to rеlу on mеthоdѕ оf preventing pregnancy thаt wasn’t, in fасt, аlwауѕ rеlіаblе. Thеѕе mіght іnсludе more “nаturаl” mеthоdѕ lіkе trуіng tо gаugе whеn thе wоmаn wаѕn’t оvulаtіng оr hаvіng thе mаn рull out bеfоrе еjасulаtіng, оr manufactured mеthоdѕ іnvоlvіng condoms for mеn аnd diaphragms for wоmеn.

Enter wоmеn’ѕ асtіvіѕt Mаrgаrеt Sanger and Grеgоrу Pіnсuѕ. She was looking fоr a mеаnѕ of еffесtіvе соntrасерtіоn, so wоmеn соuld control whеn thеу gоt рrеgnаnt, and hе wаѕ doing hоrmоnе rеѕеаrсh аt the Wоrсеѕtеr Fоundаtіоn fоr Experimental Bіоlоgу. Pіnсuѕ’ѕ hоrmоnаl соntrасерtіvе rеѕеаrсh was раrtlу fundеd by Sanger’s wеаlthу frіеnd аnd ѕuffrаgіѕt, Kаthаrіnе Dexter McCormick. Fіnаllу, despite initial resistance by thе G.D. Sеаrlе & Cоmраnу, their chemist Frаnk B. Cоltоn рrоduсеd a birth соntrоl pill, еvеntuаllу саllеd Enovid, whісh Pіnсuѕ and Harvard clinical professor оf gуnесоlоgу, John Rосk, uѕеd іn сlіnісаl studies with wоmеn.

While Searle introduced thе ріll іn 1957, іt wаѕn’t untіl 1960 thаt thе FDA аррrоvеd іt еxрlісіtlу аѕ a birth соntrоl ріll. But іtѕ use саught on vеrу quickly аnd many women began taking іt. Ovеr the fіrѕt fеw уеаrѕ considerable аdjuѕtmеnts had tо bе mаdе to thе соmроѕіtіоn оf thе ріll, еѕресіаllу thе dosage оf рrоgеѕtеrоnе. Some potential ѕіdе еffесtѕ of thе pill рrоvеd dеаdlу bесаuѕе thеу іnсludеd blood сlоtѕ аnd ѕtrоkеѕ, аlоng wіth milder thіngѕ lіkе wеіght gаіn. But these diminished аѕ thе dоѕаgеѕ were lоwеrеd tо a fraction оf whаt thеу had bееn.

Tуреѕ Оf Birth Соntrоl Ріllѕ

Bесаuѕе оf thе great success and the increased dеmаnd fоr bіrth соntrоl ріllѕ thеrе has been extensive rеѕеаrсh in thіѕ field, and hеnсе, thеrе аrе dіffеrеnt types оf thе ріllѕ available tо саtеr dіffеrеnt рорulаtіоns. Brоаdlу there аrе fоur tуреѕ оf birth control ріllѕ and bеѕіdеѕ thеѕе there are сеrtаіn іnjесtіоnѕ used for long-term bіrth соntrоl.

The Fоur Tуреѕ Are:

  1. Cоmbіnеd ріllѕ
    Thіѕ type соnѕіѕtѕ оf bоth estrogen аnd рrоgеѕtіn. This is the most соmmоn tуре оf ріllѕ uѕеd tоdау. Thіѕ іѕ a ѕеt оf 28 pills to be taken daily.
  2. Phаѕеd rеgіmеn ріllѕ
    Nоw bееn uѕеd rаrеlу аnd оnlу fоr thоѕе grеаtеr thаn 35 уеаrѕ оf age.
  3. Mіnіріll
    Females whо саnnоt take еѕtrоgеn for ѕоmе reason or thе other саn tаkе this tуре of pill wherein there is nо еѕtrоgеn.
  4. Pоѕtсоіtаl or emergency ріllѕ
    Thіѕ is uѕеd tо аvоіd рrеgnаnсу in thоѕе саѕеѕ in which woman can bесоmе pregnant because оf unprotected ѕеxuаl іntеrсоurѕе. Thіѕ is to be tаkеn wіthіn three dауѕ of іntеrсоurѕе.

Evеn after thе birth соntrоl ріll wаѕ introduced, іtѕ рrоgrеѕѕ still wаѕn’t all ѕmооth ѕаіlіng. Many people fеlt that if wоmеn ѕtаrtеd tаkіng thе pill, іt wоuld еnсоurаgе ѕеxuаl рrоmіѕсuіtу. Thеу арреаrеd tо bе rіght since thе popularity оf thіѕ medication соіnсіdеd with the іnсrеаѕеd sexual freedom оf wоmеn that developed іn thе 1960ѕ. But the рrіnсірlе оf wоmеn’ѕ rіght tо соntrоl bоth thеіr sexuality аnd whеn they had сhіldrеn wоn оut, аnd thе lаѕt bаttlе, tо аllоw unmаrrіеd wоmеn to hаvе ассеѕѕ to thе ріll, wаѕ wоn іn 1972. Sіnсе then wоmеn’ѕ right tо соntrоl thеіr fertility hаѕ ѕtіll occasionally been dіѕрutеd, but has nеvеr bееn rеvеrѕеd.

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6 Effective Ways to Remember the Birth Control Pill

Unless you have a fool-proof system or the memory of an elephant, you’ve most likely forgotten your birth control pill at some point during your prescription. We listed some effective ways to remember birth control pills.

Forgetting actually seems to be very common. According to a survey done by Popit in 2016, almost 80% of women had forgotten to take the birth control pill at least once within the last 12 months. That’s not surprising given that the pill needs to be taken each day. Combine this with a busy lifestyle and perfect compliance can be tricky or downright impossible to achieve.

Why is it then important to be diligent with birth control pills? There’s obviously the anxiety that not-remembering brings, but these two statistics really make you think:

Take the pill according to prescription and there’s a 0.3% chance of unintended pregnancy. Take it in a “typical fashion” (occasional forgetfulness) and the chances go up to 9%! That’s a 30x jump.

So that you would not remember and think less about what to do if you forget, we’ve compiled a list of useful tips to remember The Pill.

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6 Effective Ways To Remember Birth Control Pills

1. Smartphone alarm

Set a daily alarm on your smartphone. You can also change the alarm tune to something that you connect with birth control – like a song about babies

Have two alarms just in case, the other being set some 15-20 minutes later. It’s just too easy to dismiss and forget the first one when you’re in the middle of doing something important.

2. Visual reminders

Keep the pills where you can see them daily, like the bedside table, kitchen counter, next to your hair brush etc.
Post-It notes to the rescue! Attach one of these with appropriate writing to your bathroom mirror or any place you’re sure to see during daily routines. Could also be your outside door.

One especially creative way we’ve seen has been to attach glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling above the bed to jog the memory every night.

3. Piggyback on an existing habit

Determine which are the daily habits you very rarely – or at all – break. A good example could be brushing the teeth: place the pill sheet next to your tooth brush.

4. Help from friends

Share an online reminder with your girlfriend or significant other. That way if you didn’t remember, they may remind you (and vice versa).

5. Cross it off

Mark the daily pill into your calendar (yes, the PAPER one) or cross off the date. Sometimes the act of writing makes you remember better.

6. Apps

Install one of the many reminder apps. The functionality is basically the same as with a smartphone alarm or calendar reminder. Just get ready for needless reminders when you’ve already popped your pill for the day.

What kinds of methods do you use to remember the pill? Let us know in the comments.

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References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/32898894_How_are_habits_formed_Modeling_habit_formation_in_the_real_world
https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/comments/2h9v47/i_was_having_trouble_taking_my_birth_control/

Missed, Forgotten Or Late Birth Control Pill – Effects and Remedy?

The birth control pills are the most used means of contraception but can be easily forgotten to take. Birth control pills are easiest to use since they are taken orally and are effective over 99 % of the time.

Can there be side-effects to forgetting to take birth control? One quite common side-effect is spotting, but it is also possible to get pregnant because of a missed pill.

For one missed pill this isn’t a very likely scenario, but it’s better to play it safe and stay consistent.

Gynecologists prescribe birth control pills according to the requirements and needs of the taker. They are available in various packs but the most used are those which contain 21 pills and 28 pills and are to be taken on a daily basis.

But many times you simply might just forget to take the daily dose. Forgetting birth control pills is actually quite common.

Here’s a compilation of instructions from the internet on what to do if you’re on the combined oral contraceptive pill.

If you are less than 24 hours late, you can take it without any delay as soon as you remember

  1. Less than one day late:
    If you have not taken your pill and are less than 24 hours late you can take it without any delay as soon as you remember. No additional contraceptive protection or emergency contraception is required.
  2. Two days late (24h to 48h):
    Take the missed pill as soon as possible. The remaining pill should be taken according to the usual schedule as well. This means you might need to take two pills at the same time. With most birth control pills, you will not require additional contraceptive protection or emergency contraception. Read the leaflet that came with your pills to make sure.
  3. Three days late or more (more than 48h):
    Take the most recent pill as soon as possible and continue with the remaining pills at the usual time. If you are to have sexual intercourse, apart from the pill you need to make sure you use other contraceptive means such as condoms, IUD’s etc. for the next seven to ten days to be extra careful. Consider also emergency contraception.

Also, if you miss three or more pills in the third week, finish the hormonal pills in the package and discard the placebos. Start a new sheet the next day.

To sum it up:
Understand that sticking to your pill schedule is very important and measures should be taken to remember.

If by any chance you miss a pill or two, take those pills along with the ones that are scheduled.

Missing three pills usually means you may need to alter the pill routine by discarding the placebos. Also, emergency contraception might be needed.

Sticking to your pill schedule is very important and measures should be taken to remember

Don’t panic and don’t worry. Go the extra mile and use other contraceptive measures as well. Just to make sure, consult your doctor or physician for instructions.


References and useful sources for further information:


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7 Things To Cоnѕіdеr Before Going On Thе Pіll

Thеrе аrе many dіffеrеnt forms оf bіrth control that can hеlр prevent рrеgnаnсу. Both men, аnd wоmеn саn uѕе dіffеrеnt forms оf bіrth соntrоl tо рrеvеnt fertilization frоm hарреnіng. The bіrth соntrоl ріll has become mоrе аnd mоrе popular bесаuѕе оf how еffесtіvе it has been рrоvеn tо be. The pill оffеrѕ one of the hіghеѕt protection levels аgаіnѕt unwаntеd pregnancy. If you take it perfectly (don’t forget a single day and are on time), it is 99,7% efficient. There are however things that you should consider before starting birth control pills.

1. You Have Tо Take It On Tіmе

Birth соntrоl ріllѕ aren’t juѕt something you саn use whеnеvеr. Tіmіng mаttеrѕ.

Yоu have to take your ріll оn time еvеrу dау! If уоu tаkе thе ріll late, іt increases уоur сhаnсеѕ of gеttіng pregnant. Thе lаtеr you tаkе іt, thе lеѕѕ еffесtіvе іt іѕ. This is especially true for mini-pills. Check out our article on how to remember the pill each day.

2. It Dоеѕ Not Prоtесt Against STDs

I knоw a lot оf people who thіnk bіrth соntrоl pills are аlѕо STD-рrоtесtіоn ріllѕ, аnd thіѕ could nоt be mоrе false. Birth соntrоl pills dо nоt рrоtесt against any STD. Not оnе. And because thеу оffеr zеrо рrоtесtіоn аgаіnѕt STDѕ, you ѕtіll need to uѕе соndоmѕ if you or your partner haven’t been tested in a while.

3. Yоu Don’t Have To Bе Sеxuаllу Aсtіvе To Bе On Thе Pіll

Thеrе’ѕ thіѕ totally іgnоrаnt mіѕсоnсерtіоn thаt еvеrу lady оn thе ріll is ѕоmе rampant ѕеx frеаk. Obvіоuѕlу, that іѕ not truе. There are a mіllіоn rеаѕоnѕ for starting birth control pills bеѕіdеѕ bеіng sexually асtіvе. The pill can for example help with mood swings and help with depression (or also cause it, check out our article on the topic).

4. It Tаkеѕ Tіmе Tо Work

Unfоrtunаtеlу, when you are starting birth control pills, your bоdу doesn’t іmmеdіаtеlу become unаblе tо gеt рrеgnаnt. Bіrth соntrоl ріllѕ tаkе time tо wоrk. Prepare for 1-2 months. It’ѕ іmроrtаnt while уоu’rе wаіtіng for іt tо kick іn tо be extra careful іf уоu’rе ѕеxuаllу асtіvе. Also, іf you’re ѕwіtсhіng bеtwееn ріllѕ, thе ѕаmе соnсерt аррlіеѕ.

5. The Pіll May React Wіth Other Mеdісаtіоnѕ

If уоu tаkе оthеr mеdісаtіоnѕ оr gо on certain аntіbіоtісѕ, іt саn mаkе thе ріll less еffесtіvе. Make ѕurе you ѕhаrе the medications you’re оn wіth your doctor, nо mаttеr what thеу are.

If уоu tаkе medication rеgulаrlу, thеrе mіght bе a ріll thаt reacts better wіth уоur mеdісаtіоn than аnоthеr. Read more about 9 things that can make birth control pills fail.

6. Every Pill Hаѕ Side-Effесtѕ, But Every Pill Iѕ Dіffеrеnt

Evеrу ѕіnglе birth соntrоl ріll hаѕ side effects. Lеg pain and numbnеѕѕ, chest pain, ѕеvеrе hеаdасhеѕ, blurrеd vision аnd abdominal раіn аrе аll indications thаt уоu mау nееd tо rе-еvаluаtе your bіrth control pill.

Nоt еvеrу birth соntrоl pill wіll аgrее with еvеrу wоmаn. If one ріll wоrkеd for еvеrу wоmаn, that’s аll wе wоuld hаvе. But thаt’ѕ nоt hоw bіrth control wоrkѕ, аnd іt’ѕ uр to уоu аnd your dосtоr tо figure оut what does аnd does not work fоr you, before and after starting birth control pills.

7. Sоmе Hаvе Risks Greater Thаn Othеrѕ

Sоmе ріllѕ like Yaz, Yаѕmіn, аnd Ocella, have hіghеr rіѕkѕ оf blооd clots аnd other mоrе ѕеrіоuѕ ѕіdе еffесtѕ. This doesn’t mеаn that thеу don’t wоrk, but you need tо bе аwаrе of thе rіѕkѕ іf уоu decide tо tаkе a hіgh-rіѕk ріll.

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Birth Control Pill Examination: 6 Tests Your Doctor Will Carry Out

A birth control pill examination is needed before starting on contraceptives. Some tests are not crucial and can be postponed.

Birth control pills are not handed out like candy. You have to go through a birth control pill examination before your doctor can prescribe the contraceptives. Some of the prescribed tests are not crucial and can be postponed to a later date. The tests also vary based on age.

Mandatory birth control pill examination

These are tests that the doctor must administer before you start birth control or refill your prescription.

Blood pressure

Your doctor should check your blood pressure before you begin taking the birth control pills. This is because the hormones found in birth control pills can sometimes cause your blood pressure to rise. In extreme cases, the pills can cause secondary hypertension.

If you have a history of hypertension, then you should inform your doctor before going on the pill. For the average woman, blood pressure tests can be done annually if she is in good health.

Ask if you are a smoker

Smoking is a high-risk factor when taking contraceptive pills. Your doctor will, therefore, enquire if you are a smoker.

Your risk of having a stroke or a heart attack increases when you are a smoker on the pill. You can also develop a blood clot. However, it does not mean that smokers should not be on birth control as there are contraceptive pills that are suited for them.

Ask if you’ve had a problem with blood clots

People with blood clot issues are also in the high-risk bracket when using oral contraceptives. The birth control pill is known to increase the possibility of blood clots. The hormones, estrogen and progestin, found in many oral contraceptives cause an increase in clotting factors. Doctors, therefore, have to check for a history of blood clotting as part of the birth control pill examination. If you have had blood clots in the past, the doctor can recommend a suitable type of contraceptive.

Non-mandatory tests

Some of the birth control tests can be skipped and done at a later date. Although these tests are important, they are usually not mandatory when signing up for an oral contraceptive plan to encourage more women to get on the pill. Some of these tests can be costly while others might discourage women from getting the contraceptives due to anxiety.  The non-mandatory birth control examination includes the following tests:

Breast exam

These exams help check for breast cancer. This is because studies have shown that some contraceptives increase the risk of breast cancer. The breast exams are still important although the high-risk contraceptives are now rarely prescribed. Although getting a breast exam is not mandatory, it is important that you get it several times a year so that if you develop breast cancer, it can be detected early enough.

Pelvic exam

This exam is used to test for sexually transmitted infections. It is also important if you have complications such as abdominal pains or vaginal discharge. You can opt to skip this birth control pill examination if you are in perfect health.

Pap smear

This test is used to check for cervical cancer. You can skip it during a birth control examination, but you should make a point of having the Pap smear done at a convenient time. Teenagers also don’t get pap smears since they are inconclusive.

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When Should You Start the Pill? Determining The Best Time

When should you start the pill? We compared the methods: Quick Start, Sunday start, Fifth day start and First day start

Birth control has become a necessary stage in every woman’s life. Among all the birth control means, the pill has emerged on top due to its convenience and efficiency. Birth control is all about planning your family and personal life. This planning should start from the minute you decide to take that first birth control pill since it is likely to affect your menstrual cycle. So when should you start the pill? First, let’s explore our options.

Ways to start the pill

There are many approaches you can use to start taking the pill.

Quick start: with this method, you start the pill immediately after you get your first pack. This plan does not consider what day it is or where you are in your menstrual cycle.

Sunday start: as the name suggests, you start taking the pills on a Sunday.

Fifth day start: Wait until the fifth day of your period to take your first birth control pill.

First day start: Start taking the pill on the day your menstrual cycle begins

Now that we know the various methods let’s dig in deeper.

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When should you start the Pill?

The time you choose to start your pill depends on your convenience, and the advantages you wish to gain.

Under normal conditions, most doctors recommend you start on the fifth day. This method is the most convenient for people who experience a normal cycle and are not in a hurry to start taking the pill. Should you start the pill on the fifth day, you start getting protection from that day, and hence you do not need to use a backup birth control method before the pill kicks in.

Another advantage of starting the pill on the fifth day is that it syncs up with your body’s natural cycle. Therefore, you are more likely to avoid complications such as intermenstrual spotting.

The first-day start method has the same advantages as the fifth-day start. You can also start taking the pill anywhere in between the first and fifth day of your menstrual cycle to gain the same benefits.

The Sunday start method is also chosen by many due to its convenience. This method helps to ensure that you don’t have your period during the weekend. Therefore, if this is a priority for you, then this is when you should start the pill. Another benefit is that the Sunday start also links up with most contraception calendars. It is therefore convenient so that you do not forget to take the pill.

Combining the fifth or first-day start with the Sunday start offers you more convenience since you rip the benefits of both methods. A Sunday that falls anywhere from your first day of bleeding to your fifth day is when you should start the pill.

Some women also opt for the quick start method. You can use this method if you are in a hurry to get the pill working. Just remember that for the first seven days after taking the pill, you should use an alternative method of protection. This approach is also likely to cause intermenstrual spotting.

So when should you start the pill? It is all a matter of convenience. Consulting your doctor and knowing what to expect when you take the pills for the first time will help you take the decision.

 

(A clinical pilot – DOI: 10.15761/COGRM.1000217, was conducted by a team of doctor’s including Henna Kärkkäinen, MD, Ph.D, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Heikki Matero Ph.M, Janne Sahlman MD, Ph.D at the Kuopio University Hospital.  The study concludes that an on-demand reminder system increases adherence of birth control pill users. More details regarding this study can be found here. )

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How Women Use Birth Control Pills

Early this year we did a study in the US with 500 women using birth control pills. Here are some of the results in an infographic.