How Long Does It Take for Birth Control to Work?
When does the birth control pill start working? This question has certainly been asked by many women. What you should pay attention to, we tell you here.
When does the birth control pill start working after taking it?
With the birth control pill you start on the first day of your menstruation. It also works from that first day of taking it. However, it is different if you start between the second and fifth day of your menstrual cycle. In this case protection is only guaranteed after seven days of continuous use. The classic pill is taken for 21 days, followed by a seven-day break. The hormone level drops during this period and menstrual bleeding begins. However, protection is guaranteed during the break in taking the pill. On the eighth day you start taking the new pack – even if your period still continues.
The types of birth control pills
Micro pill
When people talk about the pill, they usually mean the micro pill. This is a combined preparation of oestrogens and progestins. The amount of hormone differs between a single-phase and a multiphase preparation. Single-phase preparations consist of 21 pills containing the same amount of hormones. Multi-phase pills contain different doses of hormones as well as drug-free tablets. As these are precisely coordinated, they must be taken in the correct order. Depending on the pack, it contains 21, 24 or 26 pills and accordingly seven, four or two without active ingredient.
Minipill
The minipill contains only progestin and no estrogen and is therefore a mono-preparation. The side effects are less severe. It must be taken at the same time every day, with a maximum deviation of three hours. There is no break in this type of pill, you take it for 28 days and then start on the new pack.
How the birth control pill works
By taking the pill, the concentration of both sex hormones increases and the body is faked to become pregnant. Micro pills with desogestrel also suppress ovulation. The classic minipill, on the other hand, contains levonorgestrel. This artificial hormone causes a thick plug of mucus to form at the entrance to the uterus, which prevents sperm from passing through.
What to do if I forgot the pill?
If you have forgotten to take the birth control pill, you can take it within twelve hours of taking it. This also applies to the desogestrel mini-pill. However, if the time period is exceeded, you should use additional contraception for the next seven days. And continue taking the pill as planned.
Then the birth control pills no longer work
Conception protection may be impaired if the 12-hour window has been exceeded. In the case of the micro pill with levonorgestrel, this is already the case after the three-hour window has passed. If it is forgotten more than once, protection is no longer available and additional contraception is required. However, there is also a risk of pregnancy if you had sex in the days before you forgot. This is because sperm can survive in a woman’s body for up to five days. In this case you should seek medical advice, as it may be advisable to take the so-called “morning-after pill“.
When does the birth control pill stop working for diarrhoea?
If diarrhoea or vomiting occurs within the first three to four hours after taking the pill, another tablet should be taken immediately. However, the protection may already be impaired at this stage. If the illness lasts longer, you should take additional contraception from then on and for the next seven days. Take the pack to the end anyway! If the illness does not appear until three to four hours after taking the pack, protection is still guaranteed.
Antibiotics and alcohol
Antibiotics as well as St. John’s wort preparations and antiepileptics can impair the effect. It is therefore absolutely necessary to read the package insert carefully. Some medicines cause side effects such as diarrhoea, which can jeopardise contraception. However, no interaction is to be expected with antibiotics in the form of creams or ointments. Again, it is important to read the information leaflet carefully.
Alcohol does not impair the effect of the pill. It only becomes dangerous if, for example, vomiting is added and the last time you took the pill was less than four hours ago.
Pill change
It is not possible to say in general terms what the intake should look like after a pill change. It makes a difference whether you want to switch from another hormonal contraceptive (like the coil) or from one pill to another. A discussion with the doctor treating you is essential.
Is a pill break useful?
In the past, women were recommended to take a pill break. This did not mean a seven-day break within the cycle, but a longer break. Nowadays this is no longer necessary, as the contraceptive is now much lower dosed. However, if for some reason you want to take one and start again, you should start like first-time users, i.e. on the first day of your cycle. If you want to stop taking the pill, you should expect hormonal changes.