Does timing on birth control pills really matter?

Question

i take my pills 1 to 4 hours diff. every time could i still get pregnant

Answer 1

Personally, I think it depends on the brand.  I was on Lo Ovral and I took it different times every day.  One day I took it at 7:00 a.m. and the next day I took it at 3:00 p.m.  I did not get pregnant and I was on that pill for 10+ years.

Answer 2

Yes, the timing does matter, taking the pills at the wrong time makes them less effective.

Answer 3

Yep.  Same time, every day.  There's a 30-minute "window" so if you take them at 10 pm, that means you take them every day between 9:30 and 10:30 pm.

Birth control pills control the level of hormones.  If those hormones drop below a certain level, YOU WILL OVULATE.  Some women's bodies are more sensitive to the hormone levels and missing a pill by 3 or 4 hours is all their body needs to get an egg ready.  Other women aren't so sensitive and have more leeway.

But the thing is, you have no idea which group you fall into.  And you won't know without extensive blood tests, or unless you get pregnant.  

If you're constantly missing your pills by several hours, you're going to end up ovulating unexpectedly.  If you don't want to take the pills at the same time every day, then be sure you're using a second method of birth control, every single time you have s*x.  It's far better to use a second method than to find out you're 6 weeks pregnant and have been taking hormones the whole time.

Answer 4

It does matter, how much it matters depends on the type of hormone the pill contains. You need to read and follow the instructions for the brand you take. If you are taking a brand which needs to be taken at exactly the same time every day, you may want to switch to a more flexible one.