When you take the pill every single day, it’s great at preventing pregnancy. But missing pills, taking certain medications, and other things may make it not work as well. Show How effective is the birth control pill?If you use it perfectly, the pill is 99% effective. But people aren’t perfect and it’s easy to forget or miss pills — so in reality the pill is about 93% effective. That means about 7 out of 100 pill users get pregnant each year. The better you are about taking your pill every day and starting your pill packs on time, the better the pill will work. You can use our birth control app to remind you to take your pills when you need to. But there’s a very small chance that you could still get pregnant, even if you always take your pills correctly. If you want a method that’s even better at preventing pregnancy, check out IUDs and the implant. They’re the best at preventing pregnancy. But if you decide the pill is right for you, make sure you always take your pills on time so they work as well as possible. What lowers the birth control pill’s effectiveness?The main thing that makes the pill not work is not taking it every day. But other things, like vomiting or having diarrhea for more than 48 hours (2 days) may lower how well the pill prevents pregnancy. These medicines or supplements can also make the pill not work as well: • The antibiotic Rifampin (other antibiotics don’t make the pill less effective) • The antifungal Griseofulvin (other antifungals don’t make the pill less effective) • Certain HIV medicines • Certain anti-seizure medicines (these are sometimes also used to treat psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder) • The herb St. John’s Wort If you take any of these while you’re on the pill, use condoms as a backup method. Switch to a different method of birth control if you’ll be on them for a long time. Your nurse or doctor can help you decide if there’s any reason the birth control pill won’t work well for you. How long do birth control pills take to work?It depends on when you start taking them and what type of pills you’re using. You can start taking the birth control pill any day of the month. But depending on when you start and the kind of pill you’re using, you may need to use a backup birth control method — like condoms — for up to 7 days. Combination Pills (COCs)
Progestin-Only Pills (POPs or Mini Pills)
Your nurse or doctor can help you figure out the best time to start your birth control pills, and when they’ll start working. We couldn't access your location, please search for a location. Zip, City, or State Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code or city or state. Please fill out this field. Service Please enter your age and the first day of your last period for more accurate abortion options. Your information is private and anonymous. I'm not sure This field is required. AGE This field is required. Or call 1-800-230-7526 Birth control is how you prevent pregnancy. There are lots of different birth control options out there. We’re here to help you figure it all out. Pick what’s important to you to find your best birth control method:
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We couldn't access your location, please search for a location. Zip, City, or State Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code or city or state. Please fill out this field. Service Filter By All Telehealth In-personPlease enter your age and the first day of your last period for more accurate abortion options. Your information is private and anonymous. I'm not sure This field is required. AGE This field is required. Or call 1-800-230-7526 How much does a pack of birth control pills cost?How much does birth control cost out of pocket? Without insurance, birth control pills can cost between $20 and $50 for each pack, according to the National Women's Health Network. This adds up to an annual cost of $240 to $600.
How much do birth control pills cost without insurance?Without insurance, the cost of birth control pills can range between $10-$200 per monthly pack, equating to a few hundred or thousands of dollars per year. If you don't have insurance, you may also have to pay for the cost of your exam, which could end up being an additional couple hundred dollars.
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