What if you get your period a week early when you're on the birth control pill?

Answer 1

If by "a week early," you mean that the date keeps changing every month, this is normal when using the pill. If instead you mean that you have bleeding during the third week of active pills, here's some information.

• In the first three months of using the Birth Control pill, unexpected or unscheduled bleeding can be a side effect. If it lasts longer than three months, or is troublesome to you, contact your health care provider, who can change the pill based on the complaints you have.
• If you've recently started any herbal medications, herbal recreational drugs, or other medications, contact your pharmacist or health care provider to make sure there are no drug interactions that would explain the breakthrough bleeding.
• If you have taken the pills correctly, and aren't on interfering medications or supplements, breakthrough bleeding is not a sign that the pill is not effective. If you haven't missed any pills, there's no special need to use a backup method during the bleeding or during the placebo week (although a second method like condoms will provide additional protection against pregnancy, as well as disease).
• You should continue to take your pills on schedule regardless of any bleeding.
• You will probably not have a week of bleeding on active pills followed by a week of bleeding on placebo pills. If you have bleeding during placebo pills, you can start the next pack's active pills early without any increased risk of pregnancy, if you prefer, but doing so is not medically necessary.