Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow to StartAge and Birth ControlSide EffectsIf You Miss a PillFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How to Start
Age and Birth Control
Side Effects
If You Miss a Pill
Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re sexually active and looking to avoid pregnancy or taking the pill for another reason, it’s important to know when to startbirth controland when birth controlstarts working.
You can start the pill at any point in your menstrual cycle. However, depending on when in your cycle you start it, the pill may not be effective for seven days. That means you may need to use backup birth control, like condoms, during that time.
This article will explain how to start birth control and when it will become effective once you do begin taking it.
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It’s best to start taking the birth control pill as soon as you get it prescribed or over-the-counter. Studies have shown that delaying the start of taking the pill can increase the risk for unplanned pregnancy.
When you start birth control, decidewhen to take the pill each day, and stick with that schedule. Setting a daily alarm or calendar reminder on your phone can help you remember.
The type of pilland where you are in your menstrual cycle will determine when the pill becomes effective at preventing pregnancy. There are two types of birth control pills:
How Effective Is Birth Control?
Starting Combination Pills
Starting the Minipill
In July 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvedOpill (norgestrel), aprogestin-only oral contraceptive, to be sold OTC. Opill is the first and only birth control pill available without a prescription.
Although the pill is safe for very young teens, it can be difficult for younger people to remember to take a pill at the same time every day. Because of this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), like the implant or intrauterine devices (IUDs), as the most effective birth control for teens. The risk of pregnancy among teens is less than 1% when using LARC compared to 9% when using the pill.
According to the CDC, contraception is still needed after age 44, even though it is rare to become pregnant after that age. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the North American Menopause Society both recommend that women continue contraceptive use until menopause or age 50–55 years.
For teens, the side effects of the birth control pill are generally very mild and are less severe than the risk and side effects of pregnancy.
For all people, the side effects of the pill include:
In rare cases, the birth control pill can cause blood clots, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke, particularly among people who smoke.Before starting birth control, talk to your doctor about the side effects.
The pill is 99% effective if it’s taken at the same time every single day.If you miss a pill, your risk for pregnancy is increased.
Taking your pill at the same time is particularly important if you’re on the minipill, which relies on a smaller dose of hormones to prevent pregnancy. The minipill becomes less effective if you take it more than three hours later than your regular time. If that happens, you should use backup birth control for two days.
Here’s what you should do if you miss a combination pill. In all cases, your risk for pregnancy is increased, so you should use a backup form of birth control for at least seven days.
Consider emergency contraception if two or more hormonal pills were missed during the first week and unprotected sexual intercourse occurred in the previous five days.
A Word From Verywell
Starting birth control is a very personal choice. You should talk with your healthcare provider about whether taking the pill is right for you and when you should start the pill. Consider including your sexual partner in this conversation.
Once you’ve obtained the pill, you should begin taking it right away. Just remember to use backup contraception for 48 hours on the minipill and seven days on the combination pill unless you started the combination pill within the first five days of your cycle.
Remember that the birth control pill is only one form of contraception. Other forms, like the implant and IUDs, are discreet and highly effective for a longer period of time, so they’re often a good choice for young people.
Ultimately, the right contraceptive is the one that works well with your body and lifestyle. No matter what contraceptive you use, remember that condoms are the only way to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
If you are taking a minipill, it becomes effective within 48 hours, no matter when in your cycle you start it. If you start a combination pill within five days of starting your period, it is effective immediately. If you start it at any other point in your cycle, it will not be effective at preventing pregnancy for seven days, and you should use backup birth control during that time.Learn MoreHow Long Does It Take for Birth Control to Work?
If you are taking a minipill, it becomes effective within 48 hours, no matter when in your cycle you start it. If you start a combination pill within five days of starting your period, it is effective immediately. If you start it at any other point in your cycle, it will not be effective at preventing pregnancy for seven days, and you should use backup birth control during that time.
Learn MoreHow Long Does It Take for Birth Control to Work?
The best time of day to take birth control is the time that you will consistently remember. Some people like to take it in the morning, others at bedtime. Just remember that you need to stick to a specific time even on weekends. Consider setting an alarm to remind yourself to take the pill at the same time daily.
Most birth control pill packs are set up for a 28-day cycle. Combination pills have 21 active pills, which contain hormones, and seven sugar pills, which have no active ingredients. Most people get their period during the week of sugar pills. Minipills contain hormones in every dose, which can lead toslightly irregular periods.
Birth control can help regulate your period, beginning the first month you take it. If you take the minipill starting at the beginning of your cycle, you’ll likely get your period four weeks later. If you take a combination pill, you can expect your period to begin shortly after switching to the inactive pills, which are usually a different color.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Planned Parenthood.How do I use the birth control pill?.Lesnewski R.Initiating hormonal contraception.Am Fam Physician. 2021;103(5):291-300.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Adolescent Health Care.Committee opinion no 699: adolescent pregnancy, contraception, and sexual activity.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(5):e142-e149. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002045Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Vital Signs: preventing teen pregnancy.Curtis KM, Nguyen AT, Tepper NK, et al.U.S. selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use, 2024.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2024;73(3):1-77. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7303a1National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Birth control pills.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Planned Parenthood.How do I use the birth control pill?.Lesnewski R.Initiating hormonal contraception.Am Fam Physician. 2021;103(5):291-300.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Adolescent Health Care.Committee opinion no 699: adolescent pregnancy, contraception, and sexual activity.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(5):e142-e149. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002045Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Vital Signs: preventing teen pregnancy.Curtis KM, Nguyen AT, Tepper NK, et al.U.S. selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use, 2024.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2024;73(3):1-77. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7303a1National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Birth control pills.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Planned Parenthood.How do I use the birth control pill?.Lesnewski R.Initiating hormonal contraception.Am Fam Physician. 2021;103(5):291-300.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Adolescent Health Care.Committee opinion no 699: adolescent pregnancy, contraception, and sexual activity.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(5):e142-e149. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002045Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Vital Signs: preventing teen pregnancy.Curtis KM, Nguyen AT, Tepper NK, et al.U.S. selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use, 2024.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2024;73(3):1-77. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7303a1National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Birth control pills.
Planned Parenthood.How do I use the birth control pill?.
Lesnewski R.Initiating hormonal contraception.Am Fam Physician. 2021;103(5):291-300.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Adolescent Health Care.Committee opinion no 699: adolescent pregnancy, contraception, and sexual activity.Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(5):e142-e149. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002045
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Vital Signs: preventing teen pregnancy.
Curtis KM, Nguyen AT, Tepper NK, et al.U.S. selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use, 2024.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2024;73(3):1-77. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7303a1
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Birth control pills.
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