Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Time MattersExceptionTime WindowCommon ProblemsWhen TravelingTips
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Time Matters
Exception
Time Window
Common Problems
When Traveling
Tips
Like many women, you may be wondering if the time of day when you take “the pill"reallymatters and what the best time of day to take your birth control is.
Birth control pills are a hormonal contraceptive method that either contains estrogen andprogestin, or only progestin. When using eithercombination birth control pillsorprogestin-only pills, you should take them at the same time each day.But you can decide on the time of day you want to take your daily pill—and stick to it.
This article reviews why timing matters, an exception to that rule, and adjustments to make to avoid issues with the effectiveness of your method of birth control.
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Ovulation is your body’s release of an egg from the ovaries. Oral contraceptive pillsinterfere with ovulationeach month during your menstrual cycle.Progestin-only pills block ovulation, and combination pills suppress ovulation. So, if your ovary doesn’t release an egg, then there is nothing there for a sperm to fertilize, and you can’t get pregnant.
Your body responds to the hormones in birth control pills very quickly. Because of this fast rate of metabolism, you need to add more hormones into your body every day to make sure that there are enough hormones circulating in your body toprevent you from ovulating.
If you forget to take your pill one day, it could lose its effect because you might not have enough of the hormones in your system to suppress ovulation that month.
Does Birth Control Stop Ovulation?
The Exception
There is an exception to when you need to take birth control pills. This takes place during Week 4 or the “placebo week” of your pill pack. During this time, most pill packs contain inactive pills (pills that don’t contain any active hormones). Your oral contraceptive is still working during this week, as long as you have taken your pills correctly during the preceding 21 days.
The bleeding that occurs during your placebo week iswithdrawal bleeding—your body’s response to halting the addition of hormones to your system. It is menstrual-like, but it is not a period and is not necessary from a health perspective.
During week 4, it does not matter what time you take your placebo pills or if you take them at all.
However, it’s a good idea to take these pills and to stick to your usual time, particularly if you are prone to forgetting. This keeps your daily routine going—so you are more likely to remember to take your pill at the same time every day at the beginning of the next pack.
How to Skip Your Period With Birth Control Pills
The Rule of Thumb
So, is it necessary to take birth control at the same time every day? That depends on which pill you are using, a combination pill (containing estrogen and progestin) or a progestin-only pill.
Most birth control pills are combination pills. Combination pills protect against pregnancy as long as you take one each day. It doesn’t matter what time you take it, however, trying to keep to the same time daily can help you to remember.
If your birth control pills are progestin-only, you need to take one at roughly the same time each day within a three-hour window. So, for example, if you typically take your pill at noon, and you take it later than 3 p.m., you will need to use a backup birth control method (e.g., a condom) for the next two days, while resuming your normal pill schedule.
Birth control pills are most effective when taken at the same time each day. It is far better to take your pill alittle bitearlier or later than your normal time than to skip it entirely.
When You May Run Into Trouble
Given that your goal should be to take your birth control pill at the same time every day, some women get into trouble because they forget to factor pill-taking times during:
Taking the Pill When Traveling
If you are traveling to a place where the time difference isonly an hour, you could take your pill at the same time that you normally would in the time zone where you live, or in your new time zone.
As an example, you normally take your birth control pill at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) each day but will be vacationing in California, Pacific Standard Time (PST). In this case, since the time difference is more than one hour, you should continue taking birth control at whatwouldhave been your usual time—in actuality—notaccording to the clock.
So, you would take your pill at the adjusted time of 7:30 a.m. PST while away, because this is the same time as your normal pill-taking time of 10:30 a.m. EST.
Daylight Saving Time and Your Birth Control Pill
Tips to Keep You on Track
Birth control pills need to be taken at the same time every day to be most effective. These tips may help you keep up your routine:
Summary
Birth control pills are most effective when taken at the same time every day. The exception is during Week 4 or the “placebo week” of your pill pack. During Week 4 it does not matter what time you take your placebo pills, or if you take them at all.
Most birth control pills are combination pills (estrogen and progestin); it doesn’t matter what time you take them, as long as you take one each day. However, taking them on a regular schedule helps prevent missed doses.
Progestin-only pills must be taken within a three-hour window of the same time each day. If you miss this window, it’s important to use an alternate form of birth control while you get back on track with the pill for the next 48 hours.
Be sure to take traveling and Daylight Savings adjustments into account when taking oral contraceptives.
4 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 important is it to take the pill at the same time everyday?Gebel Berg E.The Chemistry of the Pill.ACS Cent Sci. 2015;1(1):5–7. doi:10.1021/acscentsci.5b00066University of Florida Health.Ask the Nurse: Women’s Health.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Progestin-only hormonal birth control: Pill and injection.Additional ReadingBitzer J.Oral contraceptives in adolescent women.Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2013;27(1):77–89. doi:10.1016/j.beem.2012.09.005.
4 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 important is it to take the pill at the same time everyday?Gebel Berg E.The Chemistry of the Pill.ACS Cent Sci. 2015;1(1):5–7. doi:10.1021/acscentsci.5b00066University of Florida Health.Ask the Nurse: Women’s Health.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Progestin-only hormonal birth control: Pill and injection.Additional ReadingBitzer J.Oral contraceptives in adolescent women.Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2013;27(1):77–89. doi:10.1016/j.beem.2012.09.005.
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 important is it to take the pill at the same time everyday?Gebel Berg E.The Chemistry of the Pill.ACS Cent Sci. 2015;1(1):5–7. doi:10.1021/acscentsci.5b00066University of Florida Health.Ask the Nurse: Women’s Health.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Progestin-only hormonal birth control: Pill and injection.
Planned Parenthood.How important is it to take the pill at the same time everyday?
Gebel Berg E.The Chemistry of the Pill.ACS Cent Sci. 2015;1(1):5–7. doi:10.1021/acscentsci.5b00066
University of Florida Health.Ask the Nurse: Women’s Health.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Progestin-only hormonal birth control: Pill and injection.
Bitzer J.Oral contraceptives in adolescent women.Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2013;27(1):77–89. doi:10.1016/j.beem.2012.09.005.
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