Family Planning Plus

Pregnancy is possible whenever you have sex regardless of the method you’re using. However, the likelihood of pregnancy depends, in part, on when you started your method in relation to your period. If you started your method during your period, pregnancy is unlikely. If you started your method mid-cycle, pregnancy is much more likely. If you are on a hormonal method of birth control, you need to wait at least seven days after you have started your method before it becomes effective. Depo-Provera (the shot) becomes effective 24 hours after your first injection.

Since you just started a method, menstrual irregularities are a common side effect during the first few months of use. Menstrual irregularities include bleeding or spotting between periods, missing a period, and periods of shorter duration with lighter bleeding. Therefore, don’t panic if you miss your next period. If you don’t have any bleeding at all during your sugar or placebo pills (the last week of your pills), take a pregnancy test. Do not stop taking your pills unless you test positive for pregnancy.