[Blue33]

For the first time I'm in a serious relationship and am considering birth control. I've never really known how I'd feel about this when it comes up because I'm a bit wary of interfering with my body's normal cycles. Anyway, I have a couple of general questions:

1) If you go onto the pill but aren't very good at taking it at the same time every day will it work. I work for myself and my work hours can be odd - I wake up and go to bed at different times, never eat meals at the same time, sometimes have appointments or errands to run early in the day, or late or middle of the day. I find it very hard to get into routines. In the past I've had trouble remembering to take prescription medication and would take it at all different times of day or sometimes even forget. Does this perhaps mean I should look for a different option to the pill?

2) If you are on the pill is it unusual to also use a condom when you have sex. 99% protection against getting pregnant doesn't seem like enough to me.

3) Who should I see about birth control - a GP or a gynacologist? Does it vary in different countries? (I'm in Australia)

4) I expect to be asked about a pap smear when I ask about birth control - does it normally come up? I haven't had one... not sure if you're supposed to have one in my position - have only been involved in oral sex and digital stimulation - not actual intercourse. Confused about this!

[2Bpositive]

1: Yes, it's important to take birth control pills at the same time everyday. This will increase it's effectiveness in my opinion. If you feel that you will not be very good at taking it at the same time everyday or even forget, you should consider another form of birth control.

2: This goes back to taking your BC pill on time every day to for it's 99% effectiveness. Yes, you can use condoms for 100% effectiveness. In my opinion you don't need condoms, but it's good to use them to prevent STDs.

3: I use a gynecologist.

4: I thinks it's important to have annual pap smears. It's a good way to monitor your the health of your girl parts.

[kira]

Some hormones will work slightly better for some people so not be as risky about missing a pill or taking them at different times. You can't know what pills work really effectively for you if any though so the odds are always increased if you don't take it at the same time every day. You can take them at noon or any other time you would likely remember. I was taking mine at 5pm every day for a year. I kept one in my pocket just in case I wasn't home when my watch alarm went off. There are also forms of hormonal birth control you don't have to take every day now. Patches, rings, implants... Ask what's available to you there.

The odds are actually greater than 99%. Closer to 1 in 1000 people getting pregnant while on it. No birth control except removal of all your ovaries is 100% effective. There's always a tiny percentage. If you took them everyday at the same time pills would be better protection than condoms and condoms are really unnecessary at that point. If you haven't been with your partner for awhile though or don't know if they have been tested for stds you should still use condoms. Not all STDs have obvious symptoms and some people may not even know they have one.

Here a general doctor is just fine for getting birth control. I don't have a gynecologist really. Sometimes I go to planned parenthood if my insurance doesn't cover something (like iuds) or for situations like an infections when I can't get an appointment soon enough with my regular doctor. Otherwise I get pap smears and birth control from the same doctor I get sleeping medication.

Pap smears are a requirement here in order to get birth control beyond condoms unless you ask for special circumstances. In some countries there are no special circumstances. I was looking at requirements in Japan and hormonal birth control is not that common there because among other things in order to get it you are required to have an exam and pap smear every 6months. I don't think australia is that strict but I don't know.