There is nothing worse than getting ready to board your flight for a 3-week long vacation and realizing you forgot to pack your birth control. It is not something you can just pick up at the airport or in the hotel lobby. Birth control while traveling is c.o.m.p.l.i.c.a.t.e.d. As if being a girl wasn’t already hard enough!
Nurx understands how hard it is, so they work to make your life easier. They make healthcare easy and affordable by bringing real doctors and real care to you, with or without insurance. With Nurx, you can get your prescriptions and home testing kits delivered right to your door. No hassle, no big spend. With automatic refills and renewals so you’re always covered.
Nurx knows all about birth control and we know all about travel, so together we put together a list of the best tips for female travelers and birth control.
1. Plan ahead. If you’re going to run out of birth control while you’re away, get in touch with your pharmacy or provider and ask to get your next refill early so you’re prepared.
2. Try skipping your period. If you don’t want to pack tampons or deal with cramps on your get-away (who would?) you can skip your period if you take combination birth control pills or use the birth control ring or patch.
3. But bring menstrual supplies anyway. Even if you’re skipping your period or aren’t due for one while you’re away you might want to bring some pads or whatever you use for periods. If you miss a pill you could experience breakthrough bleeding — far from ideal when you’re far from your laundry room.
4. Set a timer. If you’re traveling across time zones, adjust the time you take your pill so it’s close to the time you’d take it at home, and set an alarm on your phone so you won’t forget. Birth control is most effective when taken at the same time every day, and your body won’t know you’ve switched time zones. Note: This is extra-important if you take progestin-only pills (also called “mini” pills). These pills should be taken within the same three-hour window every day, so if you go longer than that without taking one, use a back-up method of contraception for two days to be safe.
5. Keep your pills close. Pack your birth control in your carry-on, not your checked luggage, so it won’t be lost if your luggage is. And since hormonal birth control shouldn’t be exposed to extreme temperatures for long it’s better off in the temp-controlled cabin.
6. Pack back-up. On vacation, it’s common (some would argue, required) to toss routine out the window and caution to the wind. So pack condoms, and maybe even an emergency contraceptive like Plan B. That way if you forget to take your birth control or lose it on the road you’ll have a pregnancy protection back-up plan.
No matter what your birth control situation is, it is always best to be prepared for any situation.
We hope these tips help and happy travels!
