Combined Pill effectiveness

(Original post by Anonymous)
I started the pill in January but took a month off during April. I just got a new prescription today. I was wondering when the pill would be considered effective. I got my period on Sunday so I started the pill on day 3/4 of my period. I've read differing advice saying it is immediately effective and others saying to wait 7 days.

Any advice would be great!

(Original post by Appirition)
If you start combination pills within 5 days after the first day of your period, you’ll be protected from pregnancy right away. For example, if you get your period Sunday morning, you can start the pill anytime until Friday morning and be protected from pregnancy that same day unless you have a short menstrual cycle (your period is every 23 days or less). If you have a short menstrual cycle, you will need additional contraception, such as condoms, until you have taken the pill for 7 days.
If you start combination pills any other time during your menstrual cycle, you need to take the pill for 7 days before you’ll be protected from pregnancy.

It's also worth remembering that the main thing that makes the pill not work is not taking it every day. But other things, like vomiting or having diarrhoea for more than 48 hours (2 days) may lower how well the pill prevents pregnancy. The pill may not work quite as well for people who are overweight.

These medicines or supplements can also make the pill not work as well:
• The antibiotic Rifampin (other antibiotics don’t make the pill less effective)
• The antifungal Griseofulvin (other antifungals don’t make the pill less effective)
• Certain HIV medicines
• Certain anti-seizure medicines (these are sometimes also used to treat psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder)
• The herb St. John’s Wort
If you take any of these while you’re on the pill, use condoms as a backup method. Switch to a different method of birth control if you’ll be on them for a long time.

Your GP can help you decide if there’s any reason the birth control pill won’t work well for you.

I've taken extracts mostly from
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/le...h-control-pill
and added a bit from
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contra...aceptive-pill/
however, the information is similarly stated on numerous other sites.

(Original post by Anonymous)
So at the beginning of April I had a break through bleed that ended on the 3rd. Then I stopped taking the pill during April and my period came on Sunday (26th). Thats 23 days but my last bleed wasn't a period so does that make a difference?