How does the placebo week work

The placebo pills in your birth control pack have no hormones in them, but you are still protected from pregnancy during this seven-day break as long as you took the first 21 pills correctly.

You should take one birth control pill daily at the same time each day. The first time you start your pills, you can begin in one of three ways:. In a standard day package of birth control bills, the first 21 pills are active and the last seven pills are placebo pills. Birth control pills also come in day packages with 84 active pills and seven inactive pills. A third option is a day package of birth control pills, which does not contain placebo pills. If you have this type of birth control, you will stop taking your pills for a week rather than take inactive pills for seven days.

Active birth control pills typically contain a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones. These prevent pregnancy by:. If you have progestin-only pills, there are no placebo pills in your pack. In packs of combination birth control pills, the placebo pills are usually sugar pills. People do not need to take them to make the birth control pills effective, but it may be helpful to keep to a daily routine of taking the pill.

While people do not need to take the placebo pills each month, they should speak to their doctor before manipulating their pills to skip their periods. With typical use, birth control pills are 91 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, regardless of whether or not people take the placebo pills. It is best to consult a doctor or pharmacist with any questions or concerns about taking the pill or distinguishing between the active and inactive pills.

People often lose birth control pills in their handbags or down the drain. Losing a pill is not usually a problem. A person should call their doctor….

The hormones in birth control pills can affect the body in various ways. In some people, the pills cause an increase in breast size.

However, this…. The use of birth control pills, or hormonal contraceptives, can mask some of the symptoms of menopause. This can make it difficult for a person to…. Skipping one or more periods using the birth control pill is usually safe and poses few risks.

A person may want to skip a period to avoid discomfort…. What to know about the last week of birth control pills. Medically reviewed by Holly Ernst, P. What are placebo pills? Do you have to take them?

Can you skip them? Even though you are being exposed to few, if any, hormones during the placebo week, the level of protection remains unchanged. As such, you do not need additional forms of contraception to prevent pregnancy. The pill, as well as other forms of hormonal contraception, work in more than one way.

They can prevent ovulation, they can lead to a thicker cervical mucus to hinder the passage of sperm through the cervix, and they can change the lining of the uterus in a way that inhibits implantation if fertilization occurs.

The pill continues to work throughout the month, even when you are taking placebo pills—this means that additional forms of contraception aren't needed during the placebo time. With that said, the pill does not reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases , including HIV. For this, condoms offer the best means of protection. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. The Kaiser Family Foundation. Oral Contraceptive Pills.

Published May 23, The Department of Health of Manila. Kaiser Family Foundation. San Francisco, California; May 23, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Is There a Right Time to the Pill?

Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up.