Photograph of a packet of birth control pills with only a few pills left in the packet
Home/Cycle Matters / Birth Control

How to take birth control pills

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Written by Jennifer Gray

Jennifer Gray

Jennifer Gray is an award-winning writer with more than five years’ experience covering reproductive topics ranging from birth control to planning pregnancy. She is passionate about providing women with accurate information grounded in science they can use to take charge of their own health - while also dispelling myths that exist within the field of women’s health. She holds a Master of Science from the University of Edinburgh and currently lives in Ireland.

Fact checked by Jack Pearson, Medical Affairs Manager at Natural Cycles

Jack Pearson

Dr. Jack Pearson is a previously HCPC registered Embryologist with a PhD in reproductive medicine. Prior to joining Natural Cycles leading Medical Affairs, he worked for more than 10 years in a clinical setting working at some of the busiest fertility clinics in the UK. Today he spends most of his time working with experts at the world’s leading institutions to carry out important research with the vision to further the field of female health. He earned his PhD from the University of Sheffield specializing in Sperm Metabolism and currently lives in London.

Key takeaways:

  • Birth control pills are taken orally at the same time each day in order to prevent pregnancy
  • Instructions on how to take the pill will vary between brands and types of pill, so you should always check the leaflet that comes with your pill packet or talk to your doctor
  • You can take the pill for more reasons than just to prevent pregnancy, for example, to reduce acne or manage bleeding or other cycle symptoms

Birth control pills are a type of oral contraception that are taken daily to prevent pregnancy. Exactly how you use contraceptive pills depends on the type of pill that you’re prescribed to use. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the different types of pills, how you take them, and what to do if you miss a pill or want to stop taking birth control pills altogether. Read on to learn more.

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