How long for bcp to work

Sophia Yen , CEO and Co-Founder of Pandia Health, recommends using a backup method of contraception for at least one week after starting birth control to be absolutely safe; waiting one month may be a good idea for peace of mind. Yen recommends that anyone with a uterus having penis-in-vagina relations use a condom. The main benefits include:. If you are worried about sensation, test out different types of condoms rather than skipping one altogether.

Birth control is a wonderful tool that can be used not only to prevent pregnancy, but also to minimize period symptoms. With that said, it is important to follow the instructions provided by your doctor or on the back of your pill back in order to maximize the effectiveness. Luckily, Pandia Health can help you decrease your risk of pregnancy conveniently with automatic refills.

Sign up today so you can SkipTheTrip to the pharmacy and get your birth control delivered right to your mailbox. If you have an existing prescription, get it transferred to our pharmacy and get automatic monthly refills for that PandiaPeaceOfMind. Join our community to support the mission that all women deserve affordable and accessible birth control! This depends on the type of birth control and how far along in your cycle that you start the prescription.

While the IUD becomes effective immediately, other forms of birth control i. It is always a best practice to use an additional form of contraception if you plan to have sex. Theoretically, you should be protected from pregnancy about one week after starting birth control. With that said, using condoms is always a best practice in order to prevent the spread of STIs and other types of infections. You can start birth control any day of the week. Some doctors recommend starting it on a Sunday so that any spotting you may experience will not disrupt your weekend.

Otherwise, wait for 7 days. The vaginal contraceptive ring works much like the combination pill and the patch, but releases the hormones differently. It has the same delay although you would generally wait until your period has finished before inserting the ring : Wait or use a barrier method for the first 7 days after beginning the ring.

You may have heard of the Depo-Provera shot, which is a contraceptive injection that is given every 3 months. When you get the injection, the hormone progestin goes into your body. Since progestin is the only hormone it contains, the delay is similar to the mini-pill: wait or use a barrier method for 7 days until you have unprotected sex.

Check with your doctor to be sure, however. An IUD is a small T-shaped device implanted into the uterus. A copper IUD doesn't use hormones. Instead, it causes an inflammation of the uterus walls that makes pregnancy impossible.

It becomes effective immediately, and women have even used it as emergency contraception up to 5 days after unprotected sex. One of the benefits of birth control pills is that their effects are reversible. You can stop taking them and get pregnant later in life if you choose to. It might take a few days for your body to resume its usual hormone cycle and release an egg.

The exact timing will differ from person to person. A review of multiple studies in the journal "Contraception and Reproductive Medicine" found a consistent return to fertility for women who had used contraception after they stop taking the pill.

Their fertility came back whether they used a combination pill, mini-pill, IUD, or other hormonal methods. It also didn't matter how long they had used contraception. While the study didn't measure days or weeks, they found consistent successful fertilization rates within 1 year of stopping contraception use. With so many birth control options available, it can be confusing knowing which one to take and when to take it. Each type of birth control pill takes some time to become effective.

Knowing what type you're using and when your period started can help you understand when your new birth control pills will begin working. To be safe, make sure you use a back-up barrier method of birth control, such as a condom when your birth control pill isn't yet working. Give yourself the gift of birth control auto-refills, plus free delivery and self care samples in every package. Yes No.

Back Next. Back to Blog. You can also take the combined pill as a tailored regime. This may include taking the pill for 21 days and stopping for 4, or taking the pill continuously without a break. For more information speak to a doctor or nurse. You can normally start taking the pill at any point in your menstrual cycle. There is special guidance if you have just had a baby, abortion or miscarriage.

The guidance may also be different if you have a short menstrual cycle. Get advice from a doctor or nurse if you need it. You may need to use additional contraception during your 1st days on the pill — this depends on when in your menstrual cycle you start taking it. If you start the combined pill on the 1st day of your period day 1 of your menstrual cycle you will be protected from pregnancy straight away.

You will not need additional contraception. If you start the pill on the 5th day of your period or before, you will still be protected from pregnancy straight away.

You will not be protected from pregnancy straight away and will need additional contraception until you have taken the pill for 7 days. If you start the pill after the 5th day of your cycle, make sure you have not put yourself at risk of pregnancy since your last period. If you're worried you're pregnant when you start the pill, take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the last time you had unprotected sex. If you miss a pill or pills, or you start a pack late, this can make the pill less effective at preventing pregnancy.

The chance of getting pregnant after missing a pill or pills depends on:. Find out what to do if you miss a combined pill. If you vomit within 3 hours of taking the combined pill, it may not have been fully absorbed into your bloodstream. Take another pill straight away and the next pill at your usual time. If you continue to be sick, keep using another form of contraception until you've taken the pill again for 7 days without vomiting.

Very severe diarrhoea 6 to 8 watery poos in 24 hours may also mean that the pill does not work properly. 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.