How to
How to start the pill: your first pack
Quick answer
WHO says you can start a combined pill any day you are reasonably sure you are not pregnant. If you start within 5 days of your period starting, you need no backup. Otherwise, use condoms or avoid sex for the first 7 days. For progestin-only pills the backup is 2 days. Confirm with your doctor and follow your pack leaflet.
Before you start
- Get a prescription. All pills need a reseta (Prescription. All birth control pills need one in the Philippines.) in the Philippines, which surprises many people [src]. Or get pills free at your health center. See how to get a prescription.
- Tell the doctor if you smoke, get migraine with aura, have had a clot, have high blood pressure, or are breastfeeding. These affect whether a combined pill is safe [src].
- Pick a daily time and set an alarm. The pill tracker can remind you.
- Have condoms ready for the backup days.
Start options
Day 1 start
Take your first pill on the first day of your period. You are protected from the start, with no backup needed [src].
Start within 5 days of your period
WHO says starting a combined pill within 5 days after your period begins needs no backup [src].
quick start (Starting a method on any day rather than waiting for your period, with backup for a few days.) (any day)
You can start any day if you are reasonably sure you are not pregnant, so you do not have to wait for your period. Use condoms or avoid sex for the next 7 days with a combined pill [src]. If there is a chance you are already pregnant, a doctor may suggest a pregnancy test now and again in a few weeks.
Sunday start
Some people start on the first Sunday after their period begins so packs always start on a Sunday. If that Sunday is more than 5 days after your period started, the 7-day backup rule applies.
Backup rules at a glance
| Pill | Start within 5 days of period | Start any other day |
|---|---|---|
| Combined pills (estrogen + progestin) | No backup | Condoms for 7 days |
| Progestin-only pills (no estrogen) | No backup | Condoms for 2 days |
Based on the WHO Family Planning Handbook [src]. Some pack leaflets give different start rules, so check yours and confirm with your doctor. The when am I protected tool walks through this.
Reading your pack
- 21-tablet packs (like Diane-35, cyproterone acetate + ethinylestradiol): 21 hormone pills, then a 7-day break with no pills, then a new pack.
- 28-tablet packs with iron (like Trust, levonorgestrel + ethinylestradiol): 21 hormone pills, then 7 iron pills (The brown tablets in packs like Trust. They contain iron, not hormones.) with no hormones. Start the next pack the day after the last iron pill.
- 24/4 packs (like Yaz, drospirenone + ethinylestradiol): 24 hormone pills and 4 inactive pills.
- Progestin-only packs (like Daphne, lynestrenol): every pill is active, no break.
Missed or late?
Use the Missed Pill Helper, based on WHO rules [src]. If unsure, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
The first 3 months
Spotting, sore breasts, nausea and headaches are common at first and usually settle within about 3 months [src]. Taking the pill with dinner or at bedtime helps nausea. Track anything that bothers you in the side effect tracker, and read our side effects guide for red flags.
Three legal routes
Get a prescription
All birth control pills need a prescription in the Philippines. Pick the route that suits you. For adults 18 and over.
Free at a health center
Barangay health centers, RHUs, DOH hospitals and Likhaan. Subject to supply.
See an OB-GYN in person
Clinic visit, prescription in hand. Bring it to any licensed pharmacy.
Online consult
A licensed doctor by video or chat. From ₱700 on some platforms.
Online consult options
For adults 18 and over. Fees are set by each provider and can change.
Frequently asked questions
Kailangan bang hintayin ang regla bago magsimula ng pills?
Hindi kailangan. Ayon sa WHO, puwedeng magsimula kahit anong araw basta sigurado kang hindi buntis. Kung lampas na sa 5 araw mula nang magsimula ang regla mo, gumamit ng condom sa unang 7 araw (o 2 araw para sa progestin-only pills).
How do I take Trust pills for the first time?
Trust is a 28-tablet combined pill. Start with the first hormone pill marked on the pack and follow the arrows, one a day. The last 7 brown tablets are iron, not hormones. If you start more than 5 days after your period began, use condoms for 7 days.
What time of day should I take the pill?
Any time that you will remember every day. Many people choose bedtime, which can also help with nausea.
Am I protected during the first week?
Only if you started within 5 days of your period starting. Otherwise, use condoms or avoid sex for the first 7 days of a combined pill.
This guide is for information. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or switching birth control.
Sources
- Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers, WHO and Johns Hopkins CCP
- Managing missed pills (Family Planning Handbook), WHO and Johns Hopkins CCP
- Combined pill: risks and side effects, NHS
- Combined pill: who can and cannot take it, NHS
- TIL kailangan pala ng reseta buying Trust pills, r/todayIlearnedPH