Pregnancy Risk While on Seasonique: What to Do After Missed Pills

Question
Hi,

I have been taking birth control for years, but sometimes I have trouble taking it everyday or at the same time. Even if I miss one, I take it later or double up the next day, although I have been good this past month. I am on Seasonique, so there are three months of green pills and one week on yellow ones where you get your period.

I had sex on a saturday night and did not take the Saturday/my last green pill till early sunday morning. I now have to take the first yellow pill, but am worried that if I do the sperm that may still be in my body will impregnant the egg.

Will taking the pill late cause me to get pregnant? And do I start taking the yellow pills to get my period or do nothing?

Please help, am starting to stress out.

Thank you.

Answer
You don't have to worry.  As long as you've been taking the active pills for at least 21 days, you can stop the pill (or take the yellow inactive pills) for 7 days and you're still protected.  You won't ovulate for at least 7 days after stopping the pill, and sperm won't live that long.  Go ahead and take the yellow pills as usual.  Since you took the last active pill late, you could only take 6 yellow pills, then start the next pack of active pills, which would nullify taking that last pill late.  The rule is, take the active pills for at least 21 days, and don't take the inactive pills more than 7 days, then you're protected the entire time.