FAQs

I have just started the Pill, when will I be protected from pregnancy?

Answer

In most pill packets there are 21 hormone or active pills and seven placebo or 'dummy' pills.

If you started with a hormone pill on day one of your cycle (the first day of your bleed) you were protected from pregnancy straight away.

If you started on any other day of your cycle, you should start with a hormone pill and take seven hormone tablets in a row before you are protected from getting pregnant. Until you are protected, you need to use a condom or avoid penis in vagina sex. In addition, you'll need to do a pregnancy test three weeks after you started the pill, even if you have a bleed during the sugar pills. See also: http://www.fpnsw.org.au/sex-matters/faq/COCP18_20080429.html.

Remember, male and female condoms are the only contraception methods that protect against STIs (sexually transmissible infections).