Expert: Drea Jean H. - 5/9/2006

Question
Hi,

I've been taking birth control for almost two years now and I'm usually pretty regular with them.  I might miss one pill a pack and I take it around 6 30 every night.  Depending on how regular I took my pills that month my period comes between sunday and wednesday since I do the sunday start method where I start the sunday after my period ends.  I took it pretty regularly this month but because of spring break I was off a little but took it no later than two hours off of my 6:30 time.

I missed the pill one day and I doubled up the next day and had sex that night.  That was not the only time I had sex durring this month of pills but I always have protected sex and I haven't had sex more than five times.  But its tuesday night and I still haven't started my period and I'm becoming very worried.  Is it possible that not taking it exactly at 6:30 and doubling up that one night could result in a pregnancy?

I've read over emails from others and I feel a littl bit better but I wanted an answer to my specific question.  

Thank you soo much for every thing you do,
-Danielle

Answer
Hi Danielle,

Its okay to take your pills a few hours late, it won't up your pregnancy risk. Its also okay to miss when as long as you make it up, wich you did. You don't need a back up when you miss one, the only time it becomes a problem is if you miss 2 or more, so for both of those things you are fine.

Also, you have another thing going in your favor, wich is that you use protection along with your birth control, wich makes the usual 1% faliure rate even lower. So your risk of pregnancy is very very small.

It could be anything that has upset your period this month. If you doubled up late in the month, it could put it off by a day. Stress is a HUGE contributing factor also, so try not to worry to much. Also, your period may just be changing. About 15 months into my pills, my period suddenly started coming one day later than usual, and just last month, after 23 months on the pill, went back one day. So it can happen.

Don't worry for now. If you don't start by Sunday, take a pregnancy test just to be sure. Your risk is very small, but there always is one, so better safe then sorry. I think it will be fine.

Thanks, and Good Luck,

Drea Jean

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