Hi Suzanne,
You can put your fears and worries to rest...a few hours late taking your pill will not decrease its effectiveness!
The pill is up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when taken consistently and correctly every time. The closer you are to the same time every night (or day), the better..but a few hours "off" of your normal schedule is not detrimental. Using a condom is a great idea, as that provides even more protection from pregnancy, as well as any sexually transmitted infections or diseases.
Many women forget to take a pill, or forget 2-3 pills in-a-row. This is when the pills' effectiveness rate can begin decreasing, and you would need to use a back-up method (condom) for 7 days. Taking a pill late by a few hours does not require a back-up method.
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Hi Suzanne,
You can put your fears and worries to rest...a few hours late taking your pill will not decrease its effectiveness!
The pill is up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when taken consistently and correctly every time. The closer you are to the same time every night (or day), the better..but a few hours "off" of your normal schedule is not detrimental. Using a condom is a great idea, as that provides even more protection from pregnancy, as well as any sexually transmitted infections or diseases.
Many women forget to take a pill, or forget 2-3 pills in-a-row. This is when the pills' effectiveness rate can begin decreasing, and you would need to use a back-up method (condom) for 7 days. Taking a pill late by a few hours does not require a back-up method.
Hope that helps!
July 8, 2010 - 7:44pmThis Comment
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