Birth Control Forum - Is sex safe during the placebo week?

Mabel

replied on September 10th, 2007

Supporter

Re: Please Help Me Understanding Things.

BigGuy18 wrote:

My girlfriend has been on birth control for about 5 years ( WOW in my opinion Smile

). I worry every time we have sex. And i can not seem to get over this and it is beginning to cause me problems. My girlfriend always starts her period a day late. This is said to be because her BC pills are a little to strong. ( This was said by her Gynecologist ). That I understand. But today we had sex. Today was the day that she diddn't start her period. ( Meaning she stopped taking the pills yesterday and today was the day she was getting stuff out of her system i guess). Well... she wanted to ejaculate inside of her for the first time... It was kinda forced almost. Now I am completely freaking out. I have never been able to fully now worry. Im sorry. I just dont see how people do it lol. I dont understand how to not worry about it. But i am just absolutely freaking out over this. I have never done this and i just dont know what to do. I am so scared she is going to be pregnant. There are to many factors of BC for me to understand. Should she take an EC? I dont want her to be put through that or an abortion or anything like that. She is my life and i have no idea what to do!. Please. Anything. Anybody?

If I understand this question correctly, you are asking if she is still protected even during her 'period' week. The answer is YES, she is protected.

When you take birth control pills you do not ovulate. You must ovulate to have a baby. So no ovulation = no pregnancy.

The beauty of birth control pills are a lighter and often shorter period. YAY!

Relax.

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Keeba88

replied on September 10th, 2007

Experienced User

Yep its true...your safe. And i have been on BC now for well going on four months and up until thsi last month we have used a condom during that week because i was unsure just like you. But since i found this site i know for sure that its safe. If you ask to see the packet that comes wtih each BD pack it does say it somewhere in there lol if might take u awhile to find cause its very fine print and a lot of words. But i can truly say it gets to my bf to but it helped for him to see it from an actual medical source and just not from what someone said on here. So ask the gf to see it...y bf reads its all the time and it doesn't affend me so she should be fine with it. GOOD LUCK HUN! Very Happy

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BigGuy18

replied on September 10th, 2007

New User

Thanks a lot. I am just unsure about BC i guess because i am a guy and am not to familiar with the female anatomy and how the medicine works. I think im going to familiarize myself with all the stuff and see how i take that. Thanks a lot everyone. I really appreciate it.

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Keeba88

replied on September 10th, 2007

Experienced User

not a problem...anytime. I still don't understand fully how it works so good luck lol but reading the packet will give you more information..amybe not fully understand it but def will give you a better idea of whats going on lol those little pills are very powerful haha

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Georgia59

replied on September 11th, 2007

Especially eHealthy

It's also perfectly normal not to get your period on the first day of the placebo week. Mine takes a couple days, usually. This does not mean there is a risk of pregnancy.

Relax! Wink

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Marianne0558

replied on September 11th, 2007

Supporter

Re:placebo Bc

Well, let me just say that birth control is NOT 100% effective. My daughter is living proof of that.
I had been taking the pill for 3 years when I got pregnant.
Antibiotics also make the pill ineffective.
You CAN get pregnant, even on the days that she is taking the real birth control, not the sugar pill.
The pill is only low-90% effective. The best way to ensure no pregnancy, is to ALWAYS use a condom. Or spermicidal lubricant. Something WITH the pill.
If you're still worried, get a pregnancy test.
$20 for 2. I'm sure the other one will get used.
Usually when a woman becomes pregnant, she KNOWS she is pregnant. IT's the maternal instinct kicking in. She gets that feeling and BOOM, the test is positive.

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Tylanas

replied on September 11th, 2007

Especially eHealthy

Re:placebo Bc

Marianne0558 wrote:

Well, let me just say that birth control is NOT 100% effective. My daughter is living proof of that.
I had been taking the pill for 3 years when I got pregnant.
Antibiotics also make the pill ineffective.
You CAN get pregnant, even on the days that she is taking the real birth control, not the sugar pill.
The pill is only low-90% effective. The best way to ensure no pregnancy, is to ALWAYS use a condom. Or spermicidal lubricant. Something WITH the pill.
If you're still worried, get a pregnancy test.
$20 for 2. I'm sure the other one will get used.
Usually when a woman becomes pregnant, she KNOWS she is pregnant. IT's the maternal instinct kicking in. She gets that feeling and BOOM, the test is positive.

*sigh*

Used correctly, the pill is 97-99% effective. With "typical" use aka "I forgot one pill" or took it late, it is 92-95% effective.

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Marianne0558

replied on September 11th, 2007

Supporter

Re:placebo Bc

Eiri wrote:

*sigh*

Used correctly, the pill is 97-99% effective. With "typical" use aka "I forgot one pill" or took it late, it is 92-95% effective.

Actually, it depends on which pill you are using.
*sigh*
I am quoting this directly from DHEC.
"The Pill is 92-99.7% effective as birth control."

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Tylanas

replied on September 11th, 2007

Especially eHealthy

Isn't that the exact same thing that I just said?

92-95% with typical use, and 97-99% with perfect use.

Low of 92 and high of 99. Yep.

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Marianne0558

replied on September 11th, 2007

Supporter

Eiri wrote:

Isn't that the exact same thing that I just said?

92-95% with typical use, and 97-99% with perfect use.

Low of 92 and high of 99. Yep.

No, what you said was used correctly and not used correctly.
The Pill (WHEN USED CORRECTLY) is 92-99.7% effective as birth control.
It depends on which pill you are using.
It depends on which medications you are using in conjunction with the pill.
and YES, it also depends on taking it regularly.

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Tylanas

replied on September 11th, 2007

Especially eHealthy

I suppose it doesn't (?) make sense that something works better when you use it right, and works less well when you use it incorrectly. At least, that's what I'm sensing. You're sort of saying that typical use and proper use are the same thing when they're not.

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Marianne0558

replied on September 11th, 2007

Supporter

Eiri wrote:

I suppose it doesn't (?) make sense that something works better when you use it right, and works less well when you use it incorrectly. At least, that's what I'm sensing. You're sort of saying that typical use and proper use are the same thing when they're not.

I didn't mean for it to sound that way. What I was trying to say is that even with proper use, the pill still isn't as effective as most people think.
I wasn't even told that antibiotics would make the pill ineffective.
After my daughter was born, I opted for the IUD. When I was getting it implanted, my doctor told me that it is 99% effective and that the pill (I was using Estrostep) was only 93% effective when used correctly.

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Keeba88

replied on September 11th, 2007

Experienced User

I agree with Eiri! Alright this is straight out of my bc information packet:

EFFECTIVENESS OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES:
Oral contraceptive or "birth control" or "the pill" are used to prevent pregnancy and are more effective then other non-surgical methods of birth control. When they are taken correctly, the chance of becoming pregnant is lesss than 1% (1 pregnancy per 100 women per year of use) when used perfectly, without missing any pills. Typical failure rates are actually 3% per year. The chance of becoming pregnant increases with each missed pill during a menstrual cycle.
In comparison, typical failur rates for other methods of birth control during the first year of use are as follows:

Implant: <1%
Injection: <1%
IUD: <1 to 2%
Diaphragm with spermicides: 20%
Spermicide alone: 26%
Vaginal sponge: 20 to 40%
Female sterilization: <1%
Male sterilization: <1%
Cervical cap: 20 to 40%
Condom alone (male): 14%
Condom alone (female): 21%
Periodic Abstinence: 25%
Withdrawl: 18%
No method: 85%

Hope that helped you better understand!

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Marianne0558

replied on September 11th, 2007

Supporter

Keeba88 wrote:

I agree with Eiri! Alright this is straight out of my bc information packet:

EFFECTIVENESS OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES:
Oral contraceptive or "birth control" or "the pill" are used to prevent pregnancy and are more effective then other non-surgical methods of birth control. When they are taken correctly, the chance of becoming pregnant is lesss than 1% (1 pregnancy per 100 women per year of use) when used perfectly, without missing any pills. Typical failure rates are actually 3% per year. The chance of becoming pregnant increases with each missed pill during a menstrual cycle.
In comparison, typical failur rates for other methods of birth control during the first year of use are as follows:

Implant: <1%
Injection: <1%
IUD: <1 to 2%
Diaphragm with spermicides: 20%
Spermicide alone: 26%
Vaginal sponge: 20 to 40%
Female sterilization: <1%
Male sterilization: <1%
Cervical cap: 20 to 40%
Condom alone (male): 14%
Condom alone (female): 21%
Periodic Abstinence: 25%
Withdrawl: 18%
No method: 85%

Hope that helped you better understand!

That information is from your particular brand of birth control pill. Not all of them work the same way.

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Georgia59

replied on September 11th, 2007

Especially eHealthy

Yeah, actually, all combined hormone pills do work the same way.

And taking antibiotics or other medications with them and not using backup birth control is considered incorrect use.

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