Buzz
If you’ve been using birth control pills for a while, you’ve probably been advised to take them at the same time every day for maximum effectiveness. While it's easy to set a daily reminder at home, the question arises: what happens when you're traveling across multiple time zones?
The good news is that if you're taking a combination pill—one that contains both progestin and estrogen, typically ethinylestradiol—you remain protected from pregnancy as long as you take a pill every day. If you miss a dose, taking two pills in one day is perfectly fine to make up for it. The key point is that you only put yourself at risk if you go more than 48 hours without taking a single pill. This means that most travel schedules won’t affect the effectiveness of your combination pill, so simply take it once daily and you’re good to go.
However, if you're using progestin-only “minipills,” you must be more cautious. Missing a minipill by more than three hours significantly increases your risk of pregnancy. Unlike estrogen-containing combination pills, minipills don't prevent ovulation; instead, they thicken cervical mucus and thin the uterine lining to block sperm from reaching the egg. Minipills rely on your body’s natural estrogen fluctuations, making it crucial to take them at the exact time each day.
Regardless of the pill you take, your phone is your best tool for managing your schedule, especially if your travel day extends beyond 24 hours or if you frequently cross time zones. Android users can download the free World Clock app from timeanddate.com, which includes a “City Alarm” feature to set alarms in different time zones. This feature isn't available on the iOS app, but iPhone users can use the time zone conversion tool to set alarms at the right times or download a world clock widget to keep their home time zone visible. If you're on a minipill, getting the time zone calculations right is even more crucial, so plan your pill schedule carefully before you travel, taking into account any travel time or hours spent on planes.
Alarms can only do so much: Most people who use birth control pills will miss a day or two at some point, and knowing how to handle it when you do is just as crucial as staying on track in the first place. Before your trip, save the Planned Parenthood missed pill quiz on your phone’s browser, and always bring along your backup method—just to be safe.
