Since when have I been protected with birth control pills?

The anticonceptive pill It is a hormonal treatment that is usually composed of two types of hormones: estrogens that the ovaries produce naturally, and progestin, a chemical and synthetic substance with contraceptive properties. They generally come in a format of 28 tablets that are usually divided depending on the brand into 21 or 24 pills with active ingredients and 7 or 4 pills with a placebo effect.

If you’re wondering “since when have I been protected with birth control pills?”, here’s an explanation. When does the effectiveness of treatment with birth control pills begin?depending on whether you are taking it for the first time or other circumstances:

If it is the first time you use the contraceptive pill

If this is your first time using the birth control pill or you have not taken it in the previous month, you will have to start taking the pill if you want to be protected immediately facing a pregnancy on the same day that your menstruation begins.

If you cannot take it on the first day for whatever reason, you will have to take it between the second and fifth day of your period. However, in this case you will have to use another additional contraceptive (such as a condom) for the first 7 days.

You may also be interested in learning information about How to take birth control pills for the first time.

If you previously used another hormonal contraceptive

If you previously used other hormonal methods such as the vaginal ring or hormonal patches, you will have to start taking the pill the day after these methods lose their effect. However, whatever the previous method is, it will not protect you from an unwanted pregnancy during the first 7 days of taking the pill, so it is advisable to use other additional contraceptives.

after a birth

In this case you can start taking the pill between 21 and 28 days after having a child. If you start later than these days, you will not be protected against pregnancy during the first 7 days of taking it, so you will have to use other contraceptive methods such as a condom.

Now that you know the protection you will have against an unwanted pregnancy in different circumstances, it is also normal that you may wonder: What causes could reduce the effect of the contraceptive pill. Among them are the following:

If you vomit during the first 4 hours after taking an active tablet (if it is a placebo there is no risk). In this case, you will have to buy another container and take the pill that was scheduled for that day. If during the first 3 hours after taking a pill with active ingredients you have severe diarrhea. If you forget to take some of the tablets in the first or third row of the container. In this case you will have to use additional methods during the next 7 days. If you took the tablets incorrectly, that is, you did not follow the order indicated on the package. If on a given day more than 12 hours pass from the time you you usually take the pill. Take precautions for the next 7 days. In case you were wrong, we recommend you read this other unCOMO article on What to do if I forget a birth control pill.

As can occur with any other hormonal contraceptive method, the pill can cause some adverse effects. These are the main side effects of birth control pills:

Nausea and/or diarrhea. Headache. Weight gain or loss. Fluid retention. Loss of appetite. Mood changes. Breast pain. Irregular periods.

Furthermore, it is recommended that go to the gynecologist before starting this treatment, since there are the following contraindications of birth control pills:

If you suffer from breast cancer. If you have bleeding between periods for more than 3 months since you started treatment. If you have lactose intolerance or allergy. If you are breastfeeding. If you use any of the following medicines: treatments for lactose. epilepsy (barbiturates or pidone), rifampicin, antibiotics for infections and preparations with St. John’s herbs.

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