I just started using the birth control patch and I had unprotected sex. Am I protected against pregnancy?

By Kendall @ Planned Parenthood | Dec. 27, 2011, 1:45 p.m.

I just started using the Ortho Evra patch and it’s my fourth day on it and I had unprotected sex. Is there a high chance of me getting pregnant?

If you started using the patch within the first five days after the start of your period, you were protected against pregnancy right away. If you started the patch later than five days after the start of your period, you won’t be fully protected for seven days. If you had sex during those seven days, you can take emergency contraception to reduce the risk of pregnancy. In the future, if you start using the patch later than five days after the start of your period, you can use another method of birth control like a condom to reduce the risk of pregnancy.

Tags: birth control, the patch