What should I do if I miss a pill?

Take your next pill as soon as you remember, and use a back-up method for 7 days afterward (unless it was a 4th week reminder pill, in which case you can just throw out the reminder pill for that day and get back on schedule).

If you've had sex since you got off schedule and that's within the last five days, you might want to take emergency contraception just in case.

What if I want to start taking my pill at a different time?

That's fine—the easiest thing is probably to finish out your current pack on schedule and start the next pack at the time you prefer. In that case you shouldn't need any backup.

If you can't wait for your next pack, just make sure you don't allow more than 24 hours to pass between pills. So, for example, if you want to switch from morning to afternoon, you have to take 2 pills in one day—one at the old time and one at the new time. That's probably better than waiting 36 hours and worrying about backup for a week! Only catch is you may also have to relabel your pill pack, because if you take the "Wednesday" pill on Tuesday night and forget to change the rest of the pack, confusion may abound.

Does birth control cause blood clots?

Using a method of birth control with estrogen increases a young woman’s risk of forming a blood clot by several times, but for women who have no history of stroke, blood clots, or heart attack, and whose family members have never experienced a blood clot, the risk is still quite low. Women with a history of these medical conditions in their family have a higher risk of forming a new blood clot; adding birth control with estrogen to the mix increases that risk to an unacceptable level.

Progestin-only methods like the implant, mini-pill, the shot, and Skyla and Mirena IUDs don't increase your risk. If you're worried about blood clots, we recommend talking to your doctor about which birth control options are best for you.

I'm on the pill and bleeding between periods. Will this stop?

Try this: If you just started the pill in the last few months, try to power through. This problem will most likely fix itself.

Also, make sure you are taking your pills at the same time each day and not skipping pills and then doubling up. These sorts of things can increase chances of spotting.

If you've been on the pill for a while and are taking it correctly, you might consider a new method (like the shot, the patch, or the ring), but also get checked for STIs and pregnancy, just to be sure those aren't the reason for the bleeding.

Do antibiotics affect how effective the pill is?

The only antibiotic that's been shown to lessen the effectiveness of the pill is rifampin, which is usuallly used to treat tuberculosis and not typically prescribed in the US. You should tell your doctor you're on the pill when he or she prescribes you antibiotics so they can make the final call.

Does hormonal birth control cause depression?

There has been no consistent evidence that birth control causes depression. You’re the only one who truly knows how you feel. Everyone reacts to birth control differently, so remember that while birth does not, in general, cause or worsen depression, some individuals may have mood changes on birth control. If you feel your birth control might be contributing to depression, talk with your doctor. Remember, there are a lot of birth control methods out there—you can find the right one for your life! Check out the Birth Control: The Scoop guide on your Me page for more info.

More questions? Check out the Birth Control: The Scoop guide on your Me page or ask the Community!

The Pill