I Had Sex and Took Birth Control for 4 Days
For our readers who may not know, ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel is a combination birth control pill that works to stop ovulation from occurring in order to prevent pregnancy.
An important consideration when taking the birth control pill is that you may need to use back-up birth control when you first start the pill, if you miss a dose, or if you are taking certain medications (such as certain types of antibiotics). It is important to check in with your doctor about when and how to use back-up birth control in these situations.
If you started the pill just before having sex, or started it after having sex, pregnancy could be possible. FX recommends you reach out to your prescribing doctor right away so you can get his/her recommendation of how to proceed.
For more information on this specific birth control pill, click here.
TeenHealthFX would also like to encourage you to speak to your doctor about safer sex precautions for the future. Doctors generally recommend that teens and young adults who choose to be sexually active use condoms each and every time they have sex to protect against unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of STDs, as well as a back-up method of birth control such as the pill or birth control shot. Your doctor can make the best recommendations for you and discuss with you how to use properly use birth control to maximize its effectiveness.
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist or contact your local teen health center or Planned Parenthood. A Planned Parenthood health center is a good option if you have concerns about cost or confidentiality issues. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers.
FX also suggests that you check out the links in our Resource of the Month: Planned Parenthood Resources on Safer Sex so that you can learn about sexual readiness, how pregnancy happens, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception, birth control, STDs and more. The more educated you are about these topics, the more likely you will make healthy decisions for yourself when it comes to your sexual health.
