Birth control pill

Basically you need to figure out what time it is in your home time zone and take it at that time. For example, if you live in Washington, DC, and you travel to Spain, which is 6 hours ahead, you should take your pill 6 hours later in the day than you normally would. So if you take your pill at 9AM in DC, you should take it at 3PM in Spain.

If you remember your pill by setting an alarm on your phone, however, make sure to adjust it as needed when you’re on the road. If it’s easier (for example, if your usual pill time falls in the middle of the night wherever you’re visiting), you can change your schedule, as long as you don’t go more than 24 hours without a pill. So, if you live in DC and you go to Spain and want to stay on a 9AM schedule, it’s totally fine to take your next pill at 9AM Spanish time (18 hours after your last East Coast pill). But if you’re taking a progestin-only pill (also called the mini pill), the rules are different. You need to take it within 3 hours of your normal time or you’ve missed that dose. So even if that means taking it late at night, you have to stick to your regular schedule.

Also, if you’re traveling long enough that you’ll be starting a new pack of pills while you’re gone, don’t forget to stick them in your suitcase!

In a word, no. The best way to guard against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) if you’re having sex is still the good ol’ condom. If you’re concerned about both pregnancy and STIs, doubling up with the pill and condoms is a great option.

It depends on your situation. Unless you’re in a totally exclusive relationship and you and your partner have both been tested recently for every single STI, using condoms with whatever other birth control method you choose is a good idea. Basically, if there’s any chance you or your partner could have an STI, the only way to decrease the risk of transmitting it is by using condoms, internal condoms, dental dams, and/or PrEP, (a medication which decreases the risk of getting HIV.) Other forms of birth control don’t protect against STIs.

Using a condom with another form of birth control is called dual protection. It means you’re being super-safe and protecting yourself against both pregnancy and STIs.

A cyst is basically a bubble—a collection of fluid with a thin wall around it. Functional cysts are formed when a follicle (the fluid-filled sac that develops around an egg during ovulation) grows larger than expected. Sometimes they can cause un-fun symptoms like abdominal discomfort, pelvic pain, pain during bowel movements, or pain during sex. Most cysts disappear on their own, but if they keep growing they can cause severe pelvic pain or pain that causes dizziness or fainting and comes with a fever or vomiting. If you have any of these severe symptoms, go see your health care provider ASAP. Some hormonal birth control methods—the ones that work by blocking ovulation—may mean fewer ovarian cysts. If you tend to get cysts, your provider might recommend you try a method like the pill, the ring, the patch, or the shot.

If you’re just not vibing with your choice of birth control, it might be time to switch things up! But before you do, it’s important to take a second to ask yourself some questions to make sure you’re ready. Thinking about why you want to switch methods and what your needs are going forward will help you and your health care provider plan your next steps.

If you’d like to stop your birth control and try to get pregnant, here’s some information about returning to fertility after using different methods of birth control.