Hi. I am on my third pack of birth control pills (combination pills) right now. I ve been experiencing nausea, water retention, and mild cramping lately. I wasn t able to drink my first pill (from the third pack) on the first day of bleeding as prescribed, and took it on the third day instead. Are these considered missed pills since I ve been taking the pill for months now? Or do missed pills only count if you miss them in the middle of your cycle? Does starting late increase chances of getting pregnant? I ve read that if you don t start the pill on the first day, you have to use a backup method for the first seven days. If I had intercourse on the fifth day of drinking the pill (which I started on day three of bleeding), could I be pregnant considering that the day of intercourse was only two days away from putting my ovaries to sleep, if it works that way? It s only been 16 days since I got my last period. We used latex condoms. However he ejaculated on my hands first before I put the condom on him, maybe about five minutes later. Hope you could help me. Many many thanks in advance.