Ask the Sexpert

Dear Sexpert,

My college schedule is very hectic, and I have been struggling to take my birth control pill at the same time every day. I don’t want to bring it with me to class, because I’d rather not take it publicly, but I also don’t have a consistent time I wake up in the morning or go to sleep at night when I could take it. Recently, I was speaking with a friend, and she told me that the pill is ineffective if I don’t take it at the same time every day. My boyfriend and I are sexually active, and now I am quite concerned. Am I going to get pregnant?

—Busy Betty

Dear Betty,

It can be very tricky to find a consistently free time of day, especially considering the busy schedule of Princeton students. No matter how busy your schedule is, finding a birth control method that fits your lifestyle is important. If you want the most effective contraceptive method, then consider the LARCs (long acting reversible contraceptives), which include IUDs and Nexplanon. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended these contraception methods as “the first-line contraceptive choice” for sexually active adolescents and young adults.

While your friend’s advice is on the right track, it’s not entirely correct. The birth control pill is a hormonal method of birth control, containing estrogen and/or progestin (synthetic progestogens), and it protects a woman from pregnancy by preventing ovulation and making cervical mucus thicker to stop the sperm from reaching the eggs.The pill is the most common form of hormonal birth control used by women and has been in use for over 40 years.

The pill’s effectiveness in lowering risk of pregnancy ranges from 91 percent to more than 99 percent. This range is connected to correct use, including timing. For birth control pills containing only progestin (the “mini-pill”), it is crucial that you take it at the same time daily to prevent pregnancy. For those containing both hormones (combination pill), taking it at the same time daily is less necessary but can help you remember to take it every day. To establish a routine, Planned Parenthood suggests taking it right after you wake up, before you go to bed, or even when you brush your teeth, even if that time varies slightly day to day. Another useful routine technique is to set an alarm on your phone or watch that will remind you when it is time to take your pill. You can also sign up for text alerts from Bedsider.org. These techniques are subtle enough to allow you the opportunity to go to the bathroom or another private location to take your pill.

However, as mentioned above, there are other forms of birth control that you can explore. Other forms of hormonal birth control include the patch (replaced weekly), the ring (replaced monthly) and hormonal intrauterine devices (inserted for up to 3-5 years, depending on the brand). When used correctly, each of these methods have proven more than 99 percent effective. It is important to note that these forms of hormonal birth control do not protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Using either an external or internal condom during sex can decrease the risk of STI transmission.

While advice from friends can be helpful, there are resources at University Health Services that can help you answer any sexual (and other health-related) questions in the future. The clinicians at Sexual Health and Wellness would be happy to provide advice for managing your birth control schedule or information about alternative forms of contraceptives.

—The Sexpert

Sources:

http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Updates-Recommendations-on-Teen-Pregnancy-Prevention.aspx