how long does it take birth control to be in effect?
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If you start at any other time during your menstrual cycle, you'll be protected from pregnancy after 7 days of using the pill. Use another method of birth control — like a condom — if you have vaginal sex during that time.
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If you start taking the birth control pill in the first five days of your menstrual cycle (i.e., the first five days of bleeding), then it's effective right away. But if you start the pill at any other time in your cycle, you need to use condoms for a week, to let the pill reach full effectiveness.
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For the first 7 days of taking the Pill, a girl should use an additional form of contraception, such as condoms, to prevent pregnancy. After 7 days, the Pill should work alone to prevent pregnancy.
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You can expect your acne to improve within 2 to 3 months of beginning birth control pills (for some people, it takes just a few weeks).
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Your birth control could be to blame. It can take two to three months for your body to adjust to the hormones in a new birth control pill (or other form or hormonal birth control like the patch or shot), and that can mean side effects like acne or weight gain (though this is usually water retention, not extra fat).
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What lowers the birth control pill's effectiveness? The main thing that makes the pill not work is not taking it every day. But other things, like vomiting or having diarrhea for more than 48 hours (2 days) may lower how well the pill prevents pregnancy.
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But depending on when you start and the kind of pill you're using, you may need to use a backup birth control method — like condoms — for up to 7 days. If you start combination pills within 5 days after the first day of your period, you'll be protected from pregnancy right away.
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If you get the birth control shot within the first seven days after the start of your period, you're protected from pregnancy immediately. If you get it at any other point during your cycle, you'll need to use a backup form of birth control, like condoms, for the first seven days.
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Like all medications, birth control pills can have side effects. But most usually go away after 2 or 3 months. Many people use the pill with no problems at all. You can keep track of any side effects with our app.
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How Long Does a Birth Control Patch Take to Work? The time it takes for a birth control patch to become effective depends on when you had your last period. If you start using the patch within the first part of your period, usually the first five days or so, the patch will start working immediately.
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The usual way to take the pill is to take one every day for 21 days, then stop for seven days, and during this week you have a period-type bleed. You start taking the pill again after seven days.
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Can I use birth control pills to delay or stop my period? Yes, you can. Birth control pills were once only packaged as 21 days of active hormone pills and seven days of placebo pills. While taking placebo pills, menstrual period-like bleeding occurs.
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If you take your first pill within five days of your period, you're protected immediately. However, if you want to start sooner and your period isn't for a few weeks, you can still begin taking your birth control pills, but you won't be protected right away.
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Do You Ovulate on the Pill? People who take oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, generally don't ovulate. During a typical 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs approximately two weeks before the start of the next period. But cycles can vary widely.
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If you start using it during the first 5 days of your period, it will work right away and you won't need backup birth control. But if you start on any other day of your cycle, it takes 7 days to be protected from pregnancy. So for the first week, use a condom or internal condom if you have vaginal sex.
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You will not be protected from pregnancy straight away and will need additional contraception until you have taken the pill for seven days. If you start the pill after the fifth day of your cycle, make sure you have not put yourself at risk of pregnancy since your last period.
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This medication works in the body for several days after you take the dose. To avoid the risks of harm to the developing baby, if you are child-bearing age and may become pregnant, be sure to use an effective form of birth control for 7 days after taking this medication.