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Typical use means how well the method works to prevent pregnancy when real people in real life use it, whereas perfect use means how well the method works when it’s being tested in a clinical trial by people who are following the instructions perfectly every time for a whole year. A perfect use effectiveness rate of 99%, for example, would mean that over the course of a year, on average, 1 out of 100 people using this method exactly as instructed will get pregnant. Since life isn’t a clinical trial, we recommend paying closer attention to typical use numbers. But you can get closer to the perfect use number by learning to use your method correctly and consistently.

Spotting can be really annoying. If the spotting you're experiencing is bothering you, it's not a bad idea to talk to your doctor about it because they may be able to give you something to help or at least provide some reassurance that all is well.

Great question! Tomorrow you should take the next pill in your pack as normal and continue on taking one pill a day as normal from there.

Yeah, that's most likely what's happened. But when inserted correctly the ring shouldn't be able to fall out, so we recommend that you check out Bedsider's article on how to use the ring correctly (bit.ly/4a328yG) for a refresher on how to insert this method.

We're so sorry to hear that that's not working for you. Sadly, we can't offer specific medical advice online, so we recommend that you talk to your health care provider. If you need help finding a health care provider or someone to talk to, you can check out our clinic finder (www.bedsider.org/clinics)!

There isn’t any evidence that alcohol makes birth control pills less effective. However, it is still important to take the pill daily, and the progestin-only pill, has to be taken in the same three-hour window in order to be effective. For example, if someone takes the progestin-only pill at 9:00 am every day, if they forget and take it after 12:00, it may be less effective.

Great Q! Two of the most common condom problems include: wearing the wrong size condom or using a condom that's expired or has a tear. Here's an article that goes over some common condom problems: www.bedsider.org/features/660-how-to-avoid-6-common-condom-problems!

Taking birth control pills more often than prescribed could increase some side effects such as nausea and breast tenderness. More importantly, it could increase the risk of complications such as developing blood clots. You should definitely talk to a provider before taking more pills than prescribed. If you are concerned that your birth control pills may not be effective, you could also talk to your provider about other birth control options (www.bedsider.org/birth-control).

Thank you very much!@@bedsider

Research tells us about women on average, but not about specific women’s experiences. When we describe what happens for women on average, we are not dissing personal stories. If you think your birth control is affecting your weight in a way you don’t like, talk to your health care provider to find another effective method that works for you.

If someone already has an endometrioma (chocolate cyst) on their ovary, the pill may not help resolve that. However, birth control pills may help prevent development of new endometriosis implants and may also decrease pain for people who have endometriosis. Since we cannot provide personal medical advice, we recommend that you talk to a provider about your specific case and symptoms. Good luck!

@@bedsider aww okay, thanks for your reply

You're right! The condom is so-so the way people typically use them-better when used perfectly. When used perfectly (aka when people follow the instructions perfectly every time they have sex for an entire year as part of a clinical trial) they're 98% effective at preventing pregnancy. But when used typically (aka how real people use them in their real lives) they're 87% effective at preventing pregnancy.

What If we use two condoms at the same time 😂

It depends on what type of pill you’re on and how far into the pill pack you are. Since it seems like it’s been more than 48 hours since your last pill, take one of the missed pills as soon as you remember, leaving the other one in the pack. Then take today’s dose at the time you normally would AND use a back-up method of birth control, like condoms, every time you have sex for the next seven days.

@bedsider Thank you for your reply. When I missed them it was the first week of a new pack. I am taking Junel Fe 1/20... Not sure what that means lol

Typically, the pull-out method (aka withdrawal) is 80% effective and condoms are typically 87% effective. You can learn more about both of these methods (and all the other great options out there!) at Bedsider: bedsider.org/birth-control/side_by_side.

Hello dear I am 16 years old I have been taken birth control for three months it made my weight increase so much and right now, I am going off of it this is my first day would I be losing weight after one month of stopping it please answer

From what we know this medication isn't available in the US as birth control. Your best bet is to bring all your questions to a medical professional near you.

We can’t give specific medical advice online, but general guidance says if it's been more than 48 hours since your last pill, take one of the missed pills as soon as you remember, leaving the others in the pack. Then take today’s dose at the time you normally would AND use a back-up method of birth control, like condoms, every time you have sex for the next seven days. You may want to consider having emergency contraception available in case you ever have unprotected sex, and you don’t want to be pregnant. Also, remember that there are lots of methods that do not require you to take a pill every day. You can learn more about different methods at: www.bedsider.org/birth-control.

While we can’t give specific medical advice online, there are helpful treatments to help you deal with spotting and bleeding while you are on the implant. Taking pills with estrogen in them is one option. We recommend that you talk to your health care provider to see what treatment option is best for you. If you need help finding one, we’ve got you covered: www.bedsider.org/find-health-care/clinics!

We can’t give you specific medical advice online, but in general if you miss your dose at the usual time and take the missing tablet within 12 hours of missing it, you should still be protected against pregnancy. If it’s been more than 12 hours since your missed dose what you need to do next will depend on how long you’ve been taking Daine-35. To learn more about your specific situation, we recommend that you go to a health care provider!

If you just started using your method, it may be a few months before your body settles into a new pattern. Don’t give up yet! See if you can stick it out for three months. In the case of the implant, spotting doesn’t always go away completely, but most implant users have less bleeding overall than they did before, and some eventually stop having periods and spotting altogether. Remember you have option though! If you're not ok with spotting, consider another method that may fit you needs better.

Take one of the pills you missed now and then take tonight's pill at your usual time. Plus, don't forget to use a back-up method, like a condom, for a week to prevent pregnancy!

Every body is different and if you're not happy with your IUD take it out and try another method! There are so many to choose from! Check out our Method Explorer to compare all of your options to see what you may like better (www.bedsider.org/birth-control/side_by_side)!

There have been decades of research showing that birth control pills are safe and effective when taken as prescribed. Taking more than one birth control pill a day routinely will not increase its effectiveness and could increase the risks. It is only recommended to take two at a time if someone missed a pill for one day.

We can't give out specific medical advice online, but you may want to go and see a health care provider to talk about your estrogen options or to discuss changing methods. Need help finding a health center? We’ve got you covered-just enter your ZIP code in our Clinic Locator (bedsider.org/birth-control/how-to-get-birth-control).

You may want to check in with a health care provider to make sure that everything is ok and to talk about other types of birth control to see if another may be better for you. There’s a ton of methods out there, so check out our Birth Control Explorer (bedsider.org/birth-control) to learn more.

Great question! We'd recommend treating this as a missed pill. What to do next will depend on the type of birth control pill you take so check out this article to learn more: www.bedsider.org/questions/2126-what-should-i-do-if-i-miss-a-pill.

Ok, what kind of pain were you feeling? I get this cramping pain what feels like it’s coming directly from my cervix hole.. my gyno says the IUD placement is fine… this pain happens sporadically and I still think it’s my IUD.

@@NaiyaEhimua yes that is what I was feeling. You should not feel anything. It must be too low and putting direct hormones into your cervix. I ended up breaking out very badly my joints started hurting probably from chronic inflammation because my body did not want that there. I had one before this last one and no issues at all. You know your body and sadly doctors just don’t listen. My body is 100% better now without it. I’ve actually lost weight and feel great. I felt better instantly after removing it and a month later I felt great. I’m sorry for what you are going through.

Glad it was helpful! Tell your friends lol

I know man I was so scared 😂

Same dawg

Lesgo I don't have to pay child support while doing it every day