The daily pill is an effective method of birth control when couples are working on “family planning” or are looking to delay having a baby. Learn more about how to use and important notes when taking oral contraceptives daily through the article of Pharmacist Tran Thi Thuy Linh.
The effect of daily oral contraceptives
Birth control pills are pills that contain female sex hormones. Taking the pill every day will regularly provide the body with a small amount of female sex hormones. This inhibits ovulation, hinders the movement of sperm through the fallopian tubes, and prevents the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus.
On the market today, there are many brands such as: Rigevidon, Marvelon, Mercilon, Diane-35, Yasmin … are packed in blisters including 21 tablets or 28 tablets.
For 28 pills, the first 21 will contain the active ingredient, the last 7 will contain a placebo or iron pill. So if you take the wrong pill 8 – 9 members 13 – 14, it will not affect the effectiveness of contraception.
How to take birth control pills every day
It should be taken from the 1st day of the menstrual cycle (the day of the start of menstruation). You can also start taking birth control pills mid-cycle. However, do not have unprotected sex, but use a condom for at least the first 7 days of taking the pill.
Take 1 pill a day at the same time.
For a 28-tablet blister pack, after finishing one pack, you should immediately continue taking another pack. For 21 tablets, after taking 1 pack, you stop taking the pill for 7 days before taking the next pack.
Important Notes
The interval between doses should not exceed 24 hours. To avoid forgetting to take your medicine, you can take it at a fixed time like right after dinner or before going to bed to create a daily routine.
Having diarrhea or vomiting may decrease the effectiveness of the medicine. So, if you have digestive problems while taking the drug, be sure to use a condom during sex during this time.
What to do if you forget to drink?
- Missed 1 pill: Take that pill as soon as you remember, take the next pill at the usual time. Take the remaining pills as usual. Within 48 hours, if you have sex, use another method of contraception, such as a condom.
- Missed 2 pills: Take 2 pills a day for 2 days in a row. The remaining tablets take 1 pill per day as usual. If you have sex, you must use another method of contraception, such as a condom, until the pack is finished.
- Missing 3 or more pills: Throw away the pack you are taking and start a new pack as if you just started taking it.
In order for the drug to work effectively, users need to take the pill regularly and correctly, and need to learn more about other safe methods of contraception to avoid “disruption of the plan”.
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.
