Do birth control pills cause birth defects if taken during early pregnancy? Answer From Yvonne Butler Tobah, M.D. Taking birth control pills during early pregnancy doesn’t appear to increase the risk of birth defects.

Yes. Although birth control pills have a high success rate, they can fail and you can get pregnant while on the pill. Certain factors increase your risk of getting pregnant, even if you’re on birth control. Keep these factors in mind if you’re sexually active and want to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.

Birth control pills. You may be able to get pregnant within 1-3 months of stopping a combination pill — meaning those that have estrogen and progestin. But most women can get pregnant within a year.

A: You will be protected from getting pregnant after 7 days of consistent use of birth control pills. Consistent use means that you’re taking the pill every day at the same time (plus or minus 2 hours).

If you have missed 1 pill anywhere in the pack or started a new pack 1 day late, you’re still protected against pregnancy. You should: take the last pill you missed now, even if this means taking 2 pills in 1 day. carry on taking the rest of the pack as normal.

You could become pregnant if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss two pills. You must use a back-up method (such as a condom) if you have sex during the first 7 days after you restart your pills. Do NOT take the missed pills.

If you miss or take any pills late, you may spot or bleed and should use a back-up method until you start the next pack of pills. If you are late with a pill by 4 hours or more, be sure to use a back-up method until you start the next pack of pills.

You can start taking birth control pills as soon as you get them — any day of the week, and anytime during your menstrual cycle. But when you’ll be protected from pregnancy depends 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 have 2 hormones: estrogen and progestin. Combination pills are the most common type of birth control pill. As long as you take 1 pill every day, you’ll be protected from pregnancy. You don’t have to take your combination pill at the exact same time every day.

Take your pill before bed If you take the pill on an empty stomach, you may be more likely to experience nausea. On the other hand, taking it after having eaten may decrease the likelihood of unpleasant symptoms. Dr. Yen recommends taking the pill at night either you go to bed or around dinner time.

Not only will that consistency increase the effectiveness of the pill, but sticking to a schedule will make it easier to remember to take it at all. If you take the pill every day at the same time, there is a 1% chance you will get pregnant. This chance increases if you miss your pill.

The best time to take the Pill is ½ an hour after a complete meal such as dinner or at bedtime. You may have slight nausea the first month, but this usually goes away with time.