Fitore asked
Hello i have a question about my birth control that I'm taking they call Jencycla 0.35mg o take them every day at 11:00 o'clock. I live in Canada and will travel to Kosovo and there is the time 6 hours forward.My question is which time do I must to take the pills do I must take them in the same time like in Canada at 11:00 or do I must change the time in Kosovo to take them at 17:00 so it can be same time like I took in Canada.
Answer
Taking your birth control pills consistently, at the same time every day, is the necessary to be best protected from unplanned pregnancy. Taking your pills at inconsistent times or missing doses has shown to decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. This is especially true if you are taking birth control pills that are classified as progestin only pills, also known as "mini-pills".
Birth Control Administration - Time Zone Change
If you are travelling to a different time zone, it is important to try and stay on a 24 hour cycle in regard to administration time of your birth control pills. In other words, regardless of the time change, you want to take each dose 24 hours apart. This means:
- If you are traveling to a location where the time is ahead of your usual time (i.e. California to New York), you will be taking your birth control pill at a later time. For example, if you usually take your birth control pill at 11 AM PST (Pacific Standard Time), you will now be taking your birth control pill at 2 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) since there is a 3 hour time difference. This is consistent with 24 hours between doses.
- If you are traveling to a location where the time is behind your usual time (i.e. New York to California), you will be taking your birth control pill at an earlier time. For example, if you usually take your birth control pill at 2 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time), you will now be taking your birth control pill at 11 AM PST (Pacific Standard Time). This is consistent with 24 hours between doses.
In the particular example of travelling from Canada to Kosovo (6 hours ahead), you will be taking your birth control pill at a later day of the day, but still at a 24 hour interval.
- If you usually take your birth control pill at 11 AM, you will now be taking it at 5 PM because of the time zone difference. Although it technically is "later in the day" in terms of time of day, you are still taking your birth control pills 24 hours apart.
Summary
It is important to take your birth control pill at 24 hour intervals for maximum effectiveness. If you are travelling to a different time zone, the actual time you take your pill will change, but you should try to maintain the same 24 hours between doses.
