Expert: Brigid Kowalczyk - 5/31/2006

Question
I have been on Lutera 28 (I think Lutera is a subdivision of Alesse) for about 3 months now. The pack has 21 active and 7 inactive pills and I first started it on the Sunday after my period ended in early March.
Before I went on the pill my period had been very regular, but now it has become highly irregular (it comes early), and comes about 1.5 weeks before the week in which I should start the inactive pill set. That means that I am still on the active pills when I have my period and that I start taking the inactive pills after my period ends.

I guess my main concern is that this rregularity of my period might affect the effectiveness of the pill. Could I get pregnant during the week of inactive pills since my period does not occur during this time frame? I know that usually birth control pills tend to
make periods more regular, but this does not seem to be the case with me.  

Answer
Your period is supposed to be a marker of your fertility and show you if you get pregnant by not coming.  But when you take the pill you are not having normal periods and the ones you have really don't tell you what you want to know.  Cycle irregularity is a side effect of the pill as you are finding out.  

If you are taking them the way they are prescribed they are probably as effective as they can be in spite of your "periods" coming at odd times.  Remember, there is no birth control that is 1oo% effective and with irregular periods that don't come when you expect them to, if you were to get pregnant you wouldn't have the marker.  Sounds like a mess to me.