Missed Birth Control Pills & Potential Pregnancy: What to Do

Question
I started birth control pills on November 18 and I missed 3 pills on the 20, 21, 22.  I have unprotected sex on the  19th and he did not pull out.  I spotted on Dec 28, a tiny bit, then on Dec 29. I'm now cramping.  Can this be a sign of pregnancy?

Answer
Dear Tyonna,

When starting BCPs, the effectiveness of the pill depends upon when they are started. BCPs are most often started one of two ways: Sunday start or Day 1 start.

With Sunday start, you would Start your first pack of birth control pills on the Sunday during or immediately following your menstrual period. Thus, if your period starts on a Sunday, you'd start the birth control pill that day or if your period starts on a Monday, you'd start on the Sunday after. With this method, THEORETICALLY, you are protected after 1 week of consistently taking the pill.

With Day 1 start, you start your first pack of pills the same day your period starts (Day 1). Thus if your period starts on a Tuesday, you start the birth control pills that day. With this method, THEORETICALLY, you are protected immediately upon consistently taking your pills.

My recommendation to new BCP users always is that you should not consider yourself completely safe until the end of the first cycle (a full month of pills). If you take them regularly, you are protected from then on, even during the week of no birth control pills.

However, in your case, missing pills - especially more than one in a row, requires a back-up method for the entire month. It is important that you know that for future reference.

Not knowing when your period started in reference to when you started your pills, it's difficult for me to know whether the 11/19 sexual encounter took place during the fertile time of your cycle. To help you figure that out, use Day 1 as the day your last period started. Days 11-21 would be the most fertile time for you. The spotting and cramping would not necessarily be a symptom of pregnancy. It could be an effect of the hormones in the pill or the onset of ovulation.

I hope this information has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well and a merry Christmas too!

Brenda