birth control pills – Center for Young Women's Health

Am I protected from pregnancy the week after the placebo pill week? I started my new pill pack on time (Sunday), but now I am freaking out! My boyfriend and I had unprotected sex on day 4 of my new pill pack. I have been on birth control for a year, could I be pregnant?

Updated 9 October 2023 under Ask Us.

Great question! When the birth control pill is taken correctly, it is 99% effective against pregnancy. However, most teens don’t actually take the pill correctly because they don’t realize how […]

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I just finished a 7 day break from my birth control pills. I am starting my second pack of pills. Will I be protected against pregnancy right away?

Updated 27 March 2023 under Ask Us.

Awesome question! Protection against pregnancy really depends on when you took your 7-day pill break. Most birth control pill packs contain 21 active (contain hormones) pills and 7 placebo (no […]

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How quickly do the birth control pill symptoms take to appear? When will I know when my body is used to it? I am scared of gaining weight and getting moody. So far, I haven’t, but I am very anxious that I will have this worry forever.

Updated 26 August 2022 under Ask Us.

Thank you so much for this question! This is a totally understandable fear. Some people experience physical and mental symptoms when they start taking hormonal birth control pills. Sometimes these […]

For the last four months, I have been taking a birth control called Wymzya FE. I really like this birth control, but when I had my physical with my primary care provider, they switched me to the generic form of Wymzya FE. My question is, will I still be protected from pregnancy if I take the generic form of Wymzya?

Updated 3 June 2022 under Ask Us.

Great question! Yes, you will still be protected against pregnancy even if you take a generic form of the medication. You might being wondering, is there a difference? The simple […]

Contraception: Quiz

Updated 8 May 2022 under Health Guides.

There are many different types of contraception that vary in how effective they are at preventing pregnancy, how much they cost, how easy they are to use, and whether they […]

My periods are really painful to the point that getting out of bed is a challenge. I also experience a lot of dizziness and nausea. I recently started on the birth control pill, but it’s not helping. Is there anything else I can do?

Updated 20 July 2021 under Ask Us.

We are sorry to hear you that you aren’t feeling well. The best thing to do in this situation is contact your health care provider (HCP) and schedule an appointment […]

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Can the birth control pill affect your fertility (ability to have children)?

Updated 14 January 2021 under Ask Us.

Birth control pills (also called oral contraceptive pills or the “Pill”) are a type of female hormonal birth control method. Teens take the birth control pill for a variety of […]

What are birth control placebo pills?

Updated 31 July 2020 under Ask Us.

Great question! There are many different types of birth control pills and pill packages. The most common pill package contains 21 active pills (those with hormones) and 7 placebo pills […]

I’ve been on the combined pill for years to control my period. If I am thinking about having sex, but I don’t want to get pregnant, how accurate would I have to be when taking the pill and for how long before having sex?

Updated 8 June 2020 under Ask Us.

Great question, thank you! The combined pill contains two active hormones: estrogen and progestin (a hormone that is similar to progesterone). Just like with any birth control pill, whether you […]

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I am currently on the birth control pill (BCP). This month I decided to skip the placebo week “sugar pills” and just start a new pill pack. I’ve heard that when you to do this you’re supposed to have spotting, but I haven’t. I have sex regularly, could this be a sign that I’m pregnant or did I just get lucky?

Updated 6 April 2021 under Ask Us.

This is a great question, so glad you asked! There are many different reasons why people use the “birth control” pill (BCP.) Some may use the pill to prevent pregnancy, […]

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