Birth control pills are both effective and convenient. They help prevent pregnancy by maintaining hormone levels within your body to prevent ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovaries. Women have flexibility when starting birth control pills. One method of starting it is to take the first pill as soon as the prescription has been given. This can mean taking the pills mid-cycle, also called a quick start.
Step 1
Take the first active pill in the birth control pack. In order for the pill to be effective in preventing pregnancy, it must be taken at the same time of day, which would mean taking one pill every 24 hours. Pick a time of day that will be convenient in helping maintain this routine.
Step 2
Continue taking one pill per day until the active pills have all been taken. Some brands have 21 active pills while others have 28. Typically, the active pills will be different in color or marked in an identifiable way in the pack.
Step 3
Take the inactive--or reminder--pills for the last week of the cycle. These pills begin on the 22nd day of the pack and are a different color from the active pills. Most 28-day pills are progesterone-only pills, which means no inactive pills are taken. The purpose of the reminder pills is to help you continue your routine. During this week you will have a menstrual period. Progesterone-only pills may cause you to go many months without a period. It isn't unusual to go without a period the first one or two months and to have breakthrough bleeding. This should subside after the body adjusts to the new cycle.
Step 4
Use a backup birth control method for the first seven days of the birth control pack. According to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois, the birth control pills wont be effective in preventing pregnancy the first week and should not be trusted.
Step 5
Consult the birth control pill directions for exact instructions when a pill is missed. Generally, you should make up the missed pill as soon as you remember and take the rest of the pills on schedule. If two pills are missed, a pill should be taken as soon as you remember, followed by the next scheduled pill and then two pills at the scheduled time the following day. Missing three pills has more significant consequences.
Most pill manufacturers recommend throwing out the current pack and starting a new one. A backup birth control method should be used for at least 48 hours after missing one or two pills. Backup birth control should be used for seven days after missing three pills.
Women taking progesterone-only pills should only take one pill per day, even with pills have been missed. Back up birth control should be used for 48 hours after missing one or two pills and for seven days if three or more pills have been missed.
