Combined pills

[robertinomad]

My wife was on a combined control pills. On the 7 day break, last day oh her period we had unprotected sex. Following that, she decided to stop taking birth control. Was she still protected even if she didn’t start a new pack?

[Hidden]

Dear robert,

If she decided to stop and has now missed two or more days of her new pack of pills, then the contraceptive effectiveness of the pill is lost. If avoidance of unintended pregnancy is very important, the best emergency contraceptive is a copper coil (IUD), which can be fitted up to 5 days after unprotected sex. In spite of lockdown, some family planning/sexual health clinics still offer emergency coil fitting or the EllaOne pill if <5 days.

Alternatively she could consider Levonelle (if <72 h) which can be obtained from a local pharmacy. It is not as effective as the IUD or EllaOne.

The sooner she acts the better. Condoms or abstinence for now.

Rgds,

Adhari