PLEASE help!

[vennisa65]

Hi!
So I started my period this Sunday, so I started my birth control pills.

Today, (Tuesday) I had unprotected sex, while still on my period, and taking the pills. I heard that you are protected right away from pregnancy if you start on DAY 1 of your period, which I did. Should I get Emergency Contraception?

[Heather]

It is advised to use a backup for seven days when starting any method of hormonal contraception when you start on day one or a Sunday start (starting at other times means backing up for longer).

But:
1) When used properly, your pill is more effective than Plan B or Ella (brands of EC pills), so just keep taking them as directed without mistakes (EC can't do anything more your pills will be by themselves, and can't add more protection than your pill alone since they're the same thing, ultimately), and

2) You know, for yourself, that you get scared about pregnancy. So, while we always advise condoms as a backup with methods for the most effective protection and STI protection, backing up -- not just for seven days, but staying backed up -- is something anyone who gets scared around pregnancy so comes and asks something like this after making the choice not to back up will want to do for themselves if they want to have this kind of sex in ways LEAST likely to keep them worrying or panicking. That given, I'd strongly suggest for you you stick with condoms as you have already been using them, and then know that with condoms AND your pill, so long as you use both properly, you have nearly foolproof, almost 100% protection against something you clearly don't want and feel very scared about.

For future reference, always ask your healthcare provider about things like how to use your medication (including the pill), so that something as vague and often unreliable as "I heard that..." isn't what's informing your health choices but, "A medical expert/educator told me that..."

[vennisa65]

Ok should I be worried about pregnancy? I'm scared. Should I take EC?

[vennisa65]

It says on the pill pack I'm immediately protected

[Heather]

Please read what I already explained about EC and how your pill already does - and more effectively, no less - what it does.

By all means, the pill CAN be immediately effective, but clinical guidelines are to suggest a backup for seven days. And again, for someone who panics about pregnancy, ditching backups, period, is pretty much a guarantee you are going to worry.

[vennisa65]

I'm not really panicking. I had sex on my period, and also on birth control. The odds are low

[Heather]

When someone posts with a title like "PLEASE help!" and says they are feeling scared about pregnancy, we are going to interpret that as a pregnancy panic, especially if they have a user history of previous panics.

So, for future reference, if we've misunderstood here and you want to be more likely to be understood as NOT being in a panic, you'll just want to choose less panicked titles (for example, in this case, something like "How soon are birth control pills effective?" instead of "PLEASE help!") and not voice feelings of fear if you're not experiencing them.

(Also: for future reference/your own education, please know that engaging in sex during a menstrual period doesn't actually mean there is low or no risk of pregnancy. That's a misunderstanding many people have that isn't factual: in reality, people's windows for highest and lowest fertility vary, so for some people, sex during menstruation, particularly near the end of a period, can actually be a high risk time.)

[vennisa65]

Okay, so what should I do then? Because now I'm scared

[Ashleah]

Hi Vennisa,

I'm not sure what information you are looking for since Heather provided the answer. Are you asking for additional steps you can take to reduce the chances of pregnancy? If so, Heather explained that if you take your birth control as directed, taking emergency contraception does not provide additional protection.

If this is not the information you were asking for can you let me know what else you need?