7 days too long for placebos?
Find a Conversation
7 days too long for placebos?
| Mon, 02-26-2007 - 9:27pm |
Hello~ I've heard that your chance of getting pregnant greatly increases if you don't start a new pack immediately after the last placebo pill. Going too long without active pills would obviously mess everything up. I may just be being paranoid, but could 7 days on the placebo pills be too long? I've never heard of anyone mentioning this, so I'm assuming this is just another one of my ideas about what could go wrong. I know there are 7 inactive pills in the pack, but my periods (with no bc) are usually shorter than 7 days. More like 5 or 6 days. Should I start taking the active pills a day or two earlier because my periods aren't that long? Or is that completely unnecessary? Thanks!

Hello!
First of all, you are correct that if you miss the first day or two of active pills, you greatly increase your risk of pregnancy, because after that long w/o artificial hormones, your body begins to manufacture its own again, and you could ovulate (one of the ways that the Pill works is by preventing ovulation).
However, you don't need to worry. Most pills on the market today (with a few exceptions) have a 7-day placebo period for the sake of "tradition" - the whole 28-day cycle thing. That being said, 7 days is a totally safe period of time to be without the hormones, and as long as you start your pack on time, you don't have to worry. When i was on Alesse, my period only lasted 4 of the placebo days - I thought it was GREAT!!
You sound like you might be new to BC, so if you have any other questions, let us know!
Have a great night!
Take the 7 placebo pills. It's not too long the pack is designed that way. You won't necessarily have a 7 day long period, I only had a 2 or 3 day one. You're safe the whole time assuming you've taken the rest of the pack correctly and start the next one correctly.
-Mel