Can You Keep Your Birth Control Pills After Quarantine?
If you are not taking the birth control pill right now, you can save the unused pill packs for later. Here’s what you need to know:
When you stop
When you stop taking oral contraceptives, you can get pregnant right away. Therefore, if you do have sex after you stop taking the pills and before you start taking them again, be sure to use another method , such as condoms.
“It’s not dangerous or harmful to switch and ditch pills,” Planned Parenthood said in a statement on its website . “But every time your hormones change, there are chances of temporary side effects like changes in your period.”
When you run again
Your old pill packs can still be used as long as they are still full (no missed pills) and have not expired.
If you take progestin-only pills, you can still get pregnant within the first 48 hours, so be sure to use alternative methods during this time.
When using combination pills, the time it takes for them to be effective depends on when you start taking them in your cycle. If you start within the first five days after your period starts, you are immediately protected. If you are not at this time or unsure, use the backup method within seven days .