There are a few different ways to start taking birth control. Option one comprises taking birth control on the first day of your period. Second option would be to start taking birth control at any time during the menstrual period; however, you will need a back up birth control method during the first 7 days.
The third option is to start taking birth control on a Sunday. Many brands do start the pill on a Sunday, meaning, you will take your first pill on the first Sunday after your menstrual starts. Likewise, an alternative birth control method like a condom is suggested during the first 7 days.
The best time to start taking the birth control pill is on the first day of your menstrual period, because then no additional protection is needed. The birth control pill comes into effect right away. The best time to take the birth control pill is on the first day of your menstrual period.
To stay on track, and to ensure the effectiveness of the pill, choose a time that is most convenient for you and take the pill at the same time every day. You can start taking the pill any day during the week, however, an additional contraceptive method during the first 7 days is recommended to ensure efficacy and prevent pregnancy. There are two types of birth control pills — the combination pill 28 days and the progestin-only pill 21 days.
The combination pill contains both estrogen and progestin. The progestin-only pill, as its name suggests, only contains progestin. While the above-noted instructions provide a simple guide on when to start the birth control pill, these instructions can be tailored based on the type of pill you will be taking. If you plan on using the combination pill, you will be protected from pregnancy immediately if you start your first pill five days after starting your period. If you plan on taking your first combination pill at any point other than five days after the start of your period, there is a chance that you may get pregnant.
To prevent this from happening, it is advised to use another method of birth control, for at least seven days after taking your first pill if you plan on being sexually active.
If you plan on using a progestin-only pill, you will be protected from pregnancy within two days of taking your first pill.
There are several ways you can start taking your first pack of pills. Talk with your doctor about when to start taking your pills:. Take your hormone pills every day, at about the same time of day. To stay on track and prevent pregnancy, try these easy tricks: footnote 1. Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. Topic Overview Birth control pills come in packs. How to start your first pack of pills There are several ways you can start taking your first pack of pills.
Talk with your doctor about when to start taking your pills: Quick start. Keep taking your pill as normal, but use additional contraception, such as condoms, while you have diarrhoea and for 2 days after recovering. Speak to a GP or nurse or call NHS for more information, if your sickness or diarrhoea continues.
If there are no medical reasons why you cannot take the pill, and you do not smoke, you can take the pill until your menopause. However, the pill is not suitable for everyone. To find out whether the pill is right for you, talk to a GP, nurse or pharmacist.
If you have just had a baby and are not breastfeeding, you can most likely start the pill on day 21 after the birth but you will need to check with a doctor. You will be protected against pregnancy straight away. If you start the pill later than 21 days after giving birth, you will need additional contraception such as condoms for the next 7 days.
If you are breastfeeding, you're not advised to take the combined pill until 6 weeks after the birth. If you have had a miscarriage or abortion , you can start the pill up to 5 days after this and you will be protected from pregnancy straight away.
If you start the pill more than 5 days after the miscarriage or abortion, you'll need to use additional contraception until you have taken the pill for 7 days. Some medicines interact with the combined pill and it does not work properly. Some interactions are listed on this page, but it is not a complete list. If you want to check your medicines are safe to take with the combined pill, you can:. The antibiotics rifampicin and rifabutin which can be used to treat illnesses including tuberculosis and meningitis can reduce the effectiveness of the combined pill.
Other antibiotics do not have this effect. If you are prescribed rifampicin or rifabutin, you may be advised to change to an alternative contraceptive. If not, you will need to use additional contraception such as condoms while taking the antibiotic and for a short time after. Speak to a doctor or nurse for advice. The combined pill can interact with medicines called enzyme inducers. These speed up the breakdown of hormones by your liver, reducing the effectiveness of the pill.
A GP or nurse may advise you to use an alternative or additional form of contraception while taking any of these medicines. There are some risks associated with using the combined contraceptive pill. However, these risks are small. The oestrogen in the pill may cause your blood to clot more readily. If a blood clot develops, it could cause:.
The risk of getting a blood clot is very small, but your doctor will check if you have certain risk factors before prescribing the pill. The pill can slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer and cervical cancer. It can also decrease the risk of developing womb uterus cancer , ovarian cancer and bowel cancer. However, 10 years after you stop taking the pill, your risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer goes back to normal. Contraception is free to everyone through the NHS.
Places where you can get contraception include:. Find a sexual health clinic. If you need contraception, call your GP surgery or a sexual health clinic as soon as possible. Only go in person if you're told to. It can take longer to get contraception at the moment and some types are not widely available.
You may only be able to get the combined pill if you've had your blood pressure and weight checked in the last 12 months. If you cannot get the combined pill, you may be advised to use the progestogen-only pill or condoms for now.
If you want advice about changing your contraceptive pill, you can visit a GP, contraceptive nurse sometimes called a family planning nurse , or sexual health clinic. You should not have a break between different packs, so you will usually be advised to start the new pill immediately or wait until the day after you take the last of your old pills.
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