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  |  Women's Health  |  Reproductive Health  |  The Pill: how long should you use a back-up method?
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Some surprising facts from the Colonel

The Pill: how long should you use a back-up method?

by Dr Sarah Brewer

question
How long do I need to use back-up contraception after starting the Pill?

answer

If you start taking the combined oral contraceptive pill on the first day of a period, then you are covered against pregnancy straight away. If starting on day 4 of your cycle, or later, then you should either not have sex, or use an additional barrier method of contraception (eg condoms) for the first seven days of taking the pill.

If you forget to take a pill, it should be taken as soon as you remember, and the next one taken at the normal time. If the delay is 24 hours or longer with any pill (especially the first in the packet) the pill may not work. As soon as you remember, you should continue taking the pill normally. However, you will not be protected for the next 7 days and must either not have sex or should use another method of contraception such as a condom. If these 7 days run beyond the end of the packet, the next packet should be started at once, omitting the pill-free interval (or, in the case of everyday (ED) pills, omitting the 7 inactive tablets). Emergency contraception is recommended if more than 2 combined oral contraceptive tablets are missed from the first 7 tablets in a packet. If you experience vomiting within 2 hours of taking an oral contraceptive or very severe diarrhoea, which can interfere with its absorption, you should also use extra precautions during and for 7 days after recovery. If the vomiting and diarrhoea occurs during the last 7 tablets, the next pill-free interval should be omitted (in the case of ED tablets the inactive ones should be omitted). Oral contraceptives do not protect against STDs or HIV, so it is a good idea to use condoms anyway unless you're in a long-term, monogamous relationship.

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