question- after you have sex, do you have to take your birth control pill for how many days after to prevent pregnancy? ive heard its 5 but that doesnt seem right, can anybody help me???

You have to take it on time for 7 days before having condomless sex. It won’t be effective if you start it after you’ve already had sex. If you had sex and then start the pill for the first time, you need a plan B.

thank you so much, but what if you were already on the pill? would you have to extend how many days you take the pill for?? so if you were already on the pill hut it was your last one of the month and then you had sex would you need to take anymore to prevent pregnancy or could you stop on that day with no problems?

I believe you would need to take it for 7 days after, assuming you don’t have sex in those 7 days, sperm can live 5-7 days in the reproductive tract, so you’d want to remain protected at least that long, once you miss 2 pillows in a row (say you stop in 7 days, you’ll be unprotected on day 9)

so if you were on your last day of your pill (so day 21) and you had sex that day, it would be advised to take the pill for another 5 to 7 days? making the pill cycle 28 days instead?

If you want to stop taking the pill then you can start using condoms from the start of the break week onwards.

i was just wondering about the hormonal part mostly as condoms can be used at the start of the break week, but would the pill still be advised to be taken because (as mentioned) the sperm remains in the reproductive tract for a few days

If you’re just taking a break week and plan on continuing birthcontrol after your break you do not have to extend how many active pills you take you’re protected during your break if you’ve taken 7 correct pills in a row

If you’ve taken your pill correctly for the 7 days prior to your break you’re fine to take your break and not use condoms, as long as you’ll be beginning your next pack on time.