Switching to ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO from another birth control pill is easy-and you can do so while maintaining a continuous level of protection from pregnancy. Simply start your new pack of ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO pills the next day after you take your last "inactive" pill of your previous brand of birth control pills. If you follow these instructions carefully, you should not have to use a backup method of birth control. Learn more on how to switch from other birth control methods.

Certain antibiotics will reduce the effectiveness of the birth control pill, always tell your doctor you are taking oral contraceptives if you are prescribed medications. Also, since some antibiotics cause side effects like vomiting or diarrhea, the birth control pill may not be completely absorbed into your body, therefore the effectiveness is reduced. Always use a back up method of contraceptives (such as condom, female condoms and spermicide) when on herbal medications or antibiotics.

Yes, very much so. They can help reduce your menstrual cramps, regulate irregular periods, and make your menstrual flow lighter. The pill is also known to decrease the risk of ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cysys, breast cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). They will also help with acne.

Take your birth control pill as soon as you remember then take the next one at your regularly scheduled time. You should use a back up method for 7 days if you miss or are late taking a birth control pill.

The birth control pill contains high levels of an estrogen-like hormone and a progesterone-like hormone. Taking these hormones may cause premenstrual symptoms. Women who experience PMS while on the pill should consider using another method of birth control. An accurate diagnosis of PMS cannot be made in a woman taking the pill.

One of the advantages of the birth control pill is that it's quickly reversible. After you stop taking the pill, you may have only a two-week delay before you ovulate again. Your period would follow about four to six weeks after you take the last pill. Once ovulation resumes, you can become pregnant. If this happens during your first cycle off the pill, you may not have a period at all. However, although possible, this scenario isn't likely.

You can get accurate results from a pregnancy test while you're on the pill. Pregnancy tests work by measuring a specific pregnancy-related hormone — human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) — in your blood or urine. The active ingredients in birth control pills don't affect how a pregnancy test measures the level of HCG in your system.

All birth control pills with enough progestin can shut off the ovaries while the pill is taken. The estrogen in the pill helps to control spotting or irregular bleeding. But not too much estrogen because it is estrogen that builds the blood lining. Since the pill will be taken every day without a week off then it makes sense to use the lowest dose of pill available. Each pill should have the same amount of estrogen and progestin in each pill for every day of use.

There is a possibility of becoming pregnant as you may ovulate if late or miss a pill. You may also experience some break through bleeding (bleeding when its not your period) or your period may come early or late. This is why it is very important to use a condom for a full 7 days if you miss a pill.

If you miss one pill, take your pill as soon as you remember. Take your regular pill at the usual time, even if it means taking 2 pills in one day. Continue taking your pills, but use another effective method of birth control (in addition to your pill) or abstain from sex for 10 days to protect yourself from pregnancy, even if you begin a new pack or have your period. If you miss two pills, take two pills the first day and two pills the next day.

If you miss a birth control pill, you may increase your risk of getting pregnant.What you need to do depends on how many pills you missed (one, two, or three) and which week of your pill pack you are in. If you don't have the instructions you were given when you got your pills, or you don't understand them, call your clinic to speak with a nurse or clinician.

When you stop using the birth control pill but you don't get a period for several months, you may have what's known as post-pill amenorrhea. The pill prevents your body from making hormones involved in ovulation and menstruation. When you stop taking the pill, it can take some time for your body to return to normal production of these hormones. Typically, your period should start again within three months after you stop taking the pill.

Okay, this is how it goes. If you miss 1 pill, take 2 the next day. If you miss 2 pills take 3 the next day. If you miss more than that, don't take any, call your health care provider and always make sure to use condoms and spermicide as backup protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases since you are no longer protected from pregnancy by the pill. I get asked this question A LOT! Shaving your pubic hair is not a good idea, but it is not permanent.

A small amount of weight gain can be one of the possible side effects of the pill or Depo-provera. Not everyone experiences weight gain; if they do it is minimal. If weight gain is a concern, discuss it with your doctor. Yes, it is possible to become pregnant as soon as you stop using birth control. With the pill or Depo-provera, it may take time for your normal menstrual cycle to return.

There is no research to show that the birth control pill will have any effect on the development of your baby. Women are always advised to STOP taking the Pill, however, as soon as they become aware of a pregnancy .

Make up the missed pill as soon as it is discovered. You may experience some break through bleeding as a result of the missed pill and be at an increased risk of pregnancy. A condom or an additional form of birth control is recommended.

The Pill or birth control pill is an oral contraceptive medication. The Pill greatly improves a woman's life allowing her to stay worry-free of an unplanned pregnancy. The Pill generally refers to daily regimens of combined-hormone tablets, with formulations that contain a combination of progestin and estrogen compounds, the synthetic equivalents for the hormones progesterone and estrogen naturally produced by your body. The Pill is the most popular method of reversible contraception.

Switching to the contraceptive patch is similar to switching to another birth control pill. If you are switching from birth control pills to the patch, wait until you get your menstrual period. If you do not get your period within five days of taking the last active pill, check with your health care professional to be sure that you are not pregnant before you start the contraceptive patch.

There is no birth control pill for men available at this time. Although it may be at least 10 years before a male contraceptive hormone is available, researchers are testing several promising types and continue to work on developing more options. The contraceptive options currently available to men are condoms and vasectomy.

Condoms are free at the Student Health Center and are available at the front desk or in exam rooms. The TitanWell booth also provides free condoms. The Student Health Center dispenses a variety of birth control pills, NuvaRing (the Ring), OrthoEvra (the Patch), and Depo Provera (the Shot) at a low cost. These methods require a prescription, so you will need to make an appointment with a doctor or nurse practitioner. You will also need to fill out health forms (weblink) prior to your appointment.

For birth control pills and other forms of contraception, make an appointment to see a clinician. Your clinician will help you to make a decision on which type of birth control is best for you. For more information on different types of contraception, click here. There are always a variety of free condoms available at Health Services and at Health Services events on campus. Come to the office and look for the basket at the front desk.

We recommend patients use an additional means of birth control during their first year after gastric bypass surgery. There may be some alteration in the absorption or hormonal action of birth control pills during the rapid weight loss that occurs with gastric bypass surgery.

If you forget one pill, and it has been less than 24 hours -- take it when you remember, then continue taking pills at your regularly scheduled time. You are still protected as long as this only happens once during a cycle. If you forget one pill and it has been more than 24 hours but less than 48 hours, take it with your next pill (i.e. take both pills together) then resume your regular pill taking schedule.

Yes, you may take birth control pills. Our Egg Donor Coordinators will discuss any necessary changes to your current choice of birth control.

The birth control pill is very effective if taken properly, with a typical user failure rate of three percent per year. In order for the Pill to be most effective it should be taken at the same time every day. It is also important to remember that the birth control pill will only prevent pregnancies and not protect from sexually transmitted infections. A condom and a birth control pill are the most effective means of preventing unwanted pregnancies and harmful sexually transmitted infections.

There is no evidence that birth control pills cause POF. If you look at a very large group of women and examine the reasons for loss of periods whether they were on the pill or just came off the pill, the percentages of women with each of the possible disorders is identical regardless of pill use. They have the same sorts of problems in the same sorts of percentages as women who never took pills, including disorders like POF.

If you want to switch to another form of birth control or change to another BCP due to side-effects, call our nurse to discuss, or send a message to your clinician using Yale Health Online (www.yalehealthonline.yale.edu). It may be possible to do this over the telephone and Yale Health Online. You do not necessarily need an appointment.