Yahoo News Can storing the pill incorrectly make it ineffective?
The pill is a popular method of contraception in the UK. It's relatively low maintenance, and once you hit upon the right one, the side effects are minimal (if not non-existent for some). And here's the main draw: it's 99% effective, if you take it "perfectly".
However, if you mess with the schedule and take a pill early, late or not at all for a day, the rate of effectiveness drops to 91%. This might not sound like much, but every percentage lost is an increase in likelihood of an accidental pregnancy. The bottom line is that it's pretty important to take your pill in exactly the right way if you're not planning on having kids any time soon. But there might also be another consideration to think about when it comes to ensuring the pill's effectiveness: how you store it.
Most manufacturers of the pill include instructions to store your packets below 25-30C, and away from light, but what happens if you inadvertently stray from these specifications? Can it really interfere with how effective the pill is? We spoke to Karin O’Sullivan, clinical lead at sexual health charity FPA to find out.
"Although different brands of pill tend to have slightly different storage instructions, a common theme for a lot of brands is to store the pills below a certain temperature and protect them from light," Karin tells Cosmopolitan.
Generally, you'll be doing this without even realising, but she points out that it is worth being mindful of it. "The easiest way to protect pills from light is to keep them in the original packaging," Karin says. Which, as it goes, is a good rule to follow for any medicine.
It's also worth considering whether you keep your pill near direct heat sources like radiators (or other heaters), or in any rooms that might get particularly hot, like the bathroom or kitchen, or in hot cars. Because if you do, it might be worth having a re-think - just in case.
If you want to be sure you're being as careful as possible with your contraception, Karin's advice is to "check and follow the storage instructions for your particular pill, which will be inside the leaflet that comes with your pack, because this is how the pills have been quality controlled and tested." She adds: "It’s not necessarily always about the medicinal ingredients – pills can have a variety of other ingredients or additives and these might affect how they need to be stored."
But the reassuring thing is that you don't need to get too caught up in the exact home of your pill packet. It's far more important, Karin says, to follow the instructions on how to take it. "For example not knowing what action to take if you’re sick or have diarrhoea or forget to take a pill, or not knowing when emergency contraception might be needed," notes the expert, adding: "This goes for both the combined and the progestogen-only pill."
It's useful to remember that contraceptive pills often have a shelf life of around 3 to 5 years, so if you have any old packs lying around then you should check the expiry date very carefully to ensure they're still in date. "Don’t use them if they’ve expired as they may no longer be effective at preventing pregnancy," advises Karin.
But as always, if you have any worries or doubts about the effectiveness of your contraceptive pill, then the best thing is to consult your doctor, nurse or pharmacist on how to dispose of them safely, and secure a new prescription.
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