If You Want To Change The Time You Take Birth Control, Here's What To Do
Taking birth control can seem like a chore, so it's important to find a way to work it into your schedule in a way that causes the least disruption to your life. But what if you've realized that the time you're taking it just doesn't work for you? Maybe you take it before bed and want to switch to morning. Can you just make that change overnight?
The answer depends on what kind of pill you're taking, according to Insider. There are two common types of birth control pills – combination, and progestin-only. Combination pills include Loestrin, Ortho-Tricyclen, Seasonale, and Yaz. Some progestin-only brand names include Camila, Micronor, Ovrette, and Errin.
Combination pills, which contain both estrogen and progestin, are the most popular, and they're easier to adjust your schedule with. That's because what's most important with a combination pill is that you take it every day, according to SELF. It functions by preventing ovulation, and as long as you take it every 24-hours, you'll be safe.
If you want to change the time you take a combination pill, just wait until you finish a pack and start the new pack at the new preferred time.
Progestin-only birth control pills take more adjustment
For progestin-only pills, things are a little more complex. That's because these types of birth control pills prevent pregnancy by thickening cervical mucus and thinning the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation. To provide protection from pregnancy, you need to be taking the pill at the same time every day, so adjusting to a new time needs to be done slowly.
It can be done, though. With progestin-only pills, just move the time by two-hour increments each day until you reach your new desired time. For example, if you've been taking your pill at 7 a.m. but want to move it to nighttime, the next day, take it at 9 a.m. Then, the next day, take it at 11 a.m., then 1 p.m. on day three. Keep going like this until you've reached the new time you want to take it.
For either pill, if you have any disruption to your pill schedule, you'll want to use a back-up form of contraception until you're able to be back on your regular pill routine for 48-hours, according to Bustle. Consider barrier methods such as condoms.
And if you have any questions about what kind of pill you take or how to make adjustments, speak with your doctor. They may have different ideas for contraception methods that are easier for you to manage.