AJH asked
I'm going on a trip with my boyfriend on the 3rd of August. This is the 6th day of my placebo pills. I would be on my “period” that week. Can I take the pill about 2 days early and still be completely protected against pregnancy?
Answer
Yes, it is safe to start your birth control pills early during your placebo week. You will still be protected from pregnancy. The effectiveness of birth control pills will only decrease in cases where you are late taking pills or you miss doses.
In your case, you would be starting 2 days early during your placebo pill week. Again, this is safe as you are not missing doses. The only caveat from starting early is that you will also finish your pack early, therefore changing your monthly schedule. You do not want to start two days later on your next pack to go back to your "usual" schedule as this will decrease the efficacy of your pills.
There are a variety of birth control pill products available that have a shorter hormone free interval, or no hormone free interval at all. These are called "extended" or "continuous" cycle pills. Although complete long-term data isn't available, current studies assessing the health effects of continuous birth control products continually show that they are safe to use and well tolerated.
You can feel safe starting your pills (and your next cycle) a few days early if necessary. Be sure however, to continue to take your pills once daily, at the same time every day.
It is important to note that although you are starting your pills earlier than usual, you may still experience light bleeding or spotting at the beginning of your cycle. It isn't uncommon for our bodies to take a few months to adjust to any change in birth control pill product or how we take them.
