Question about placebo week.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Question about placebo week.
1
Wed, 06-14-2006 - 2:14pm
Okay so say if I was 2 hours late with the very last active pill in my pack and then had a week of placebos and then started on regular pills again and had sex for the first time since the late pill on the 5th day of regular pills. Is that like when they say you should use extra protection for seven days if you miss a pill does that mean that now there has been 7 days of placebos and 5 days of regular that that makes for 12 days or is it still only 5 days? Does that make sense?
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2005
Wed, 06-14-2006 - 2:27pm

Normally, you would want to use a backup for 7 *active* pills.

However, if you are on a combination pill, 2 hours late was just within the safe zone for taking the pill. (Look at "Taking Your Pills Correctly" in the FAQ's section for more info.) Since you *also* started your new pack on time, and thus had slightly less than 7-24 hour days between active pills, *and* you had taken 5 active pills, I would say your chances are *very, very* good that you are just fine!