A pill too late?
Question
My girlfriend and I used condoms for the first few times we had sex. As she is also on the pill, we've both decided to stop using condoms.
Recently she took a pill 11 hours late. Is the pill still as effective if you take it so late or should we be taking the morning after pill? I've never ejaculated inside her, but what are the chances of her being pregnant?
Answer
As soon as a man's penis becomes hard or erect, it leaks a few drops of semen (liquid which contains sperm). This liquid is called pre-ejaculate or 'pre-cum'. If you're not using contraception and the penis enters the vagina there is a risk of pregnancy even if the man doesn't ejaculate or withdraws before ejaculating.
There are two main types of pill, the combined pill and the progestogen only pill. If they are taken correctly, the combined pill is over 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, and the progestogen only pill is 99% effective.
There are different rules about missed pills depending on whether it is the progestogen only pill or the combined pill, so it's worth checking what type of pill your girlfriend is on.
It's very unlikely if your girlfriend's pregnant if she:
- Has been taking all her pills correctly;
- Didn't miss any or take any later than the advised time;
- Didn't vomit or have severe diarrhoea;
- Didn't take any other medicines that might have affected the pill.
Your girlfriend can get some medical advice about what to do next by speaking to a nurse via the Family Planning Association Helpline on 0845 310 1334, or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. A nurse can advise whether or not she is at risk of pregnancy and whether she needs to use emergency contraception.
Alternatively, she can get medical advice from a doctor at the service that prescribed her pill, a Family Planning Clinic or her doctor (GP). All these services offer free emergency contraception, should your girlfriend need it.
As you have decided not to use condoms, it's worth remembering that only condoms provide protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It can be a good idea for both partners to get tested for infections, before deciding to have sex without condoms.
There are many different types of STIs and they can be spread in different ways, not just through penetrative sex. For example, some infections can be caught from having oral sex, or skin-to-skin genital contact with someone who has an infection. You can get advice and testing at a genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic. Services are located at hospitals and are free and confidential, which means that no one will be told about your visit, unless you want them to be.
If you want to discuss your situation further, you can call Brook's free helpline on 0800 0185 023.
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Question answered by Brook
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