How do birth control pills really work, even during the placebo period?
curiousgirl asks: I have been on the pill for over 2 years, and have never missed a pill. I just started my inactive pills on Sunday of this week, and had sex with my boyfriend on Monday. He wore a condom but I am still concerned there is a chance I might still get pregnant. Is it possible for this to happen or am I safe? Heather Corinna replies: So long as you take your pills as directed and on time, with the exception of a few medications or herbs that can interact with the pill, you’re as covered as you get. We get questions like this a lot, so in the interest of making sure you and everyone else understand your pill as best you can, let me explain how the pill works and thus, why it works just the same during the placebo period (the time you take or have the inactive pills) as it does during the other three weeks of your pill cycle. If you understand how your menstrual and fertility cycle works when you aren’t on oral contraceptives (and if you don’t, read this before reading furth
curiousgirl asks: I have been on the pill for over 2 years, and have never missed a pill. I just started my inactive pills on Sunday of this week, and had sex with my boyfriend on Monday. He wore a condom but I am still concerned there is a chance I might still get pregnant. Is it possible for this to happen or am I safe? Heather Corinna replies: So long as you take your pills as directed and on time, with the exception of a few medications or herbs that can interact with the pill, you’re as covered as you get. We get questions like this a lot, so in the interest of making sure you and everyone else understand your pill as best you can, let me explain how the pill works and thus, why it works just the same during the placebo period (the time you take or have the inactive pills) as it does during the other three weeks of your pill cycle. If you understand how your menstrual and fertility cycle works when you aren’t on oral contraceptives (and if you don’t, read this before reading furth
