Why do I have to throw out the rest of the pack if I miss 3 pills in a row?

By Anonymous November 12, 2011 - 9:26pm

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Hello,
I've been on ortho-cyclen for a little over a year. My boyfriend and I are long distance so we were not sexually active at this time. I missed the first 3 pills of my birth control in the first week. I read the instructions and it says to continue taking pills until sunday (I'm a sunday starter), then throw out the pack and start a new one that same Sunday. I was just wondering why this is? Will I be more likely to get pregnant if we have sex in a few weeks? Are there health side effects if I just continue taking the pack as usual? Thanks for your time and help.

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Anonymous

Hi Anonymous,

Thank you for your question and welcome to Empowher. Every drug must list side effects and effectiveness regarding dosage. Most pills are ineffective and must be noted by the pharmaceutical companies. Will it hurt you to continue to use them? Probably not although they may not be as effective as noted by the company.

I cannot answer the highly likely to get pregnant question, however it is noted that taking the pill for seven days in a row is recommended before engaging in unprotected sex. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Missie

November 13, 2011 - 8:56am