My SO is on the Desogen birth control pill (which contains instructions that state that it is effective after seven days, if started on the Sunday after the period.) However I also have heard that it takes several weeks to become effective, and someone else even claims that it takes 2 months.
I want to get the straight story on this because I’m pretty confused. I’d think that the most accurate information would be that contained by the instruction for the pills itself, since the company would have to worry about being sued. Am I right to think this?
She should ask her gynecologist or whoever prescribed it, or ask the pharmacist where she got it. I’m kind of surprised none of them volunteered that information.
Please remember that the following should not be considered medical advice and is NO substitute for consulting your own physician. Desogen is a combination estrogen/progestin hormonal contraceptive pill. Oral contraceptive pills work by inhibiting ovulation through a complex hormonal feedback loop. The onset of menses indicates the end of the luteal phase of the reproductive cycle, and occurs in the absence of fertilization of the ovum. Presumably (although there is variation), the next ovulation occurs about 14 days after the onset of the last menses. If you start the pill on the Sunday after menses occurs, this provides somewhere between 7-14 days of time for the pill to begin it’s effect on inhibiting ovulation before ovulation is likely to occur. As I understand it, it only takes 7 days of presence in the body of the hormones found in the pill PRIOR TO the onset of expected ovulation to prevent ovulation from occuring. Hence the manufacturer’s claim of effectiveness within 7 days of taking when started the Sunday after the last menstrual period begins. I will, however, typically tell a patient for whom I start on an OCP, that just to be sure, use barrier or other contraceptive measures until one full pill pack is completed, menses has occured and the next pill pack is started - this is paranoia on my part, but the whole reason to be on the pill for contraception is to prevent pregnancy!