Are you going on a trip abroad and wondering what time to take your pill if there is a jet lag? Calculation of time according to its type of pill (combined, progestin…)
It doesn’t matter if you’re going on a trip east or west, the maximum time difference between two countries is 12 hours. This is good because most birth control pills (conventional combination pills and desogestrel progestogen pills) allow 12 hour setting time (to find out how long it should take, refer to the instructions for your pill). In effect, “if the tablet was forgotten less than 12 hours ago, the contraceptive efficacy is not reduced“, can we read on the leaflets of the pills (excluding microdosed pills with levonogestrel), which can be consulted on the site Public Drug Database. But know all the same that, the greater the time difference, the more the margin of forgetting is reduced because you will be at the limit of the 12 hours authorized, you must therefore be vigilant.
At what time to take your pill in case of jet lag?
Whatever the length of your stay and your destination, the easiest way is to transpose the pick-up time that you usually have in France. Examples:
► If you take your pill at 9 p.m. and you are traveling to Ottawa in Canada, -6 hours ago time difference compared to France. You will have to take your pill at 9 p.m. local time (3 a.m. in France). The authorized time limit of 12 hours has not yet been exceeded, but you only have 6 hours of margin.
► If you usually take your pill at 7 a.m. and you travel to Tokyo in Japan, +7 hours ago time difference compared to France. In other words, when it is 7 a.m. in France, it is 2 p.m. in Japan. Again, take your pill at 7 a.m. local time: you have simply shifted your intake by 7 hours, which is still much less than the 12 hours allowed.
Note that you can get help from apps like Pil’ à l’heure, My Pill, My Pill, Lady Pill Reminder or even Ipilule which will remind you to take your pill at your usual time. Finally, if you don’t want to waste time doing your math, always keep a French time watch with you.
At what time should you take your levonorgestrel micro-progestogen pill?
Please note that some pills such as micro-progestins based on levonorgestrel (Microval for example) do not allow than a 3 hour forgetting time, not 12 hours like other pills. In this case, the timing is tighter. Practical cases :
► If you usually take your pill at 9 p.m. and you travel to Ottawa in Canada, so west, you will need to take your pill at 3 p.m. local time (calculation: 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. (France/Canada time difference) = 3 p.m.). If you are traveling to Japan, there you will have to take it at 4 a.m. (calculation: 9 p.m. + 7 a.m. (time difference France/Japan) = 4 a.m.). This requires setting your alarm clock in the middle of the night, but it’s the only way to avoid taking any risks.
► But rest assured! As taking your pill in the middle of the night is restrictive, you can gradually delay taking your pill: that is to say, you can delay your pill-taking by 3 hours each day (these three hours correspond to the tolerance for forgetting pills levonogestrel micro-progestins) until it reaches a convenient time for you. Concretely :
| You are going on a trip to Japan (time difference of +7 hours) and you usually take your pill at 9 p.m. | |
|---|---|
| Time of taking the first tablet | DAY 1: 4am |
| Time of taking the second tablet | DAY 2: 1am |
| Time of taking the third tablet | DAY 2: 10 p.m. |
| Time of taking the fourth tablet | DAY 3: 10 p.m. |
| Time of taking the fifth tablet | DAY 4: 10 p.m. |
| Time to take the following tablets… | FOLLOWING DAYS: 10 p.m. |
What precautions to take?
► Always have your pill with you as well as a spare pack to avoid any forgetting. If you are flying, remember to leave the brochure in your hand luggage and not in the hold to have your pill close at hand.
► Anticipate your trip and remember to take as many pill packs as necessary. A renewal of the pill at the gynecologist may be to be expected before leaving on a trip.
► If you are going abroad for several months, you can very well gradually delay taking the pill (see table). In this case, do not worry if you take two tablets in less than 24 hours. If in doubt, ask your doctor or gynecologist for advice before leaving.
► Finally, if you go abroad regularly, oral contraception may not be the most suitable. Discuss the alternatives (contraceptive implant, vaginal ring, patch, IUD…) with your gynecologist.
► To make your calculations, do not forget to take into account the Time change (change to winter time in October and change to summer time in March).