Unplanned pregnancy is common and affects the health of the mother and baby. If you're sexually active and you don't want to have a baby, you may need to look at birth control options to prevent pregnancy. Access to safe and effective hormonal contraceptives doesn't have to be hard. We're making it easier than ever to get birth control medication discreetly from the comfort of your home. Now, you're just one easy conversation away from reproductive choice with Cue. Birth control pills are available only by prescription.

In general, Tri-Sprintec is for women who are having their periods and are at least 15 years old. Tri-Sprintec is a birth control pill (oral contraceptive) taken by mouth daily to prevent pregnancy. It's a combination hormone medication containing two hormones called estrogen and norgestimate (a progestin) that work mainly to prevent a woman's egg from getting fertilized each month. For this reason, Tri-Sprintec is also called a COC or combination oral contraceptive. It is available by prescription only. 

Tri-Sprintec is usually available in single blister packs containing 28 pills to be taken in a specific order. It's a triphasic form of birth control. That means the pills work in three phases. For each of the first three weeks out of four, the levels of progestin in the pills vary. During the last week of each cycle, you will be taking placebo "reminder pills" that don't have any active medicinal ingredients. 

Not all triphasic birth control pills work the same way. At Cue, we have professional and qualified healthcare providers who can help you understand the various options available. That's not all. We will have the medication delivered to your doorstep so you can quickly get started with your treatment. 

Tri-Sprintec contains two hormones that safely interact with your normal hormonal cycle to prevent pregnancy: ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen) and norgestimate (a progestin). These hormones prevent ovulation and make it more difficult for sperm to enter your uterus, fertilize an egg, and implant along your uterus lining.

Tri-Sprintec comes in a blister card with 28 pills. Always follow the usage instructions provided in the leaflet accompanying your tablets. The pills for Day 1 to Day 7 are colored gray, Day 8 to Day 15 are colored light blue, and day 16 to day 21 are colored blue. The remaining seven pills, usually colored white, don’t have any active ingredients; they function as reminders to help you stay on schedule. 
Take your pills in order, once daily by mouth, and at the same time every day. They can be taken with or without food. 

• If you are not using a hormonal birth control method, start Tri-Sprintec on the first day of your period or the first Sunday after your period starts. For a Sunday start, you’ll also need to use a non-hormonal birth control method, such as condoms and spermicide, when needed during the first seven days. 
• If you are switching from another birth control pill, start your new Tri-Sprintec pack on the same day that you would start the next pack of your previous birth control pill. Do not continue taking the pills from your previous birth control pack.
• If you are switching from a vaginal ring or patch, take your first dose on the day you would have inserted a new ring or applied a new patch.
• If you are switching from an implant or injection, take your first dose of Tri-Sprintec on the day your implant is removed or the day you would have received your next injection.
• If you are switching from an IUD, take your first dose of Tri-Sprintec the day your IUD is removed. If your IUD is removed on any day other than the first day of your period, use another birth control method for the first seven days.

If you miss 1 pill in Weeks 1, 2, or 3, follow these steps:
• Take it as soon as you remember. Take the next pill at your regular time. This means you may take 2 pills in 1 day. 
• Then continue taking 1 pill every day until you finish the pack. 
• You do not need to use a back-up birth control method if you have sex. 

If you miss 2 pills in Week 1 or Week 2 of your pack, follow these steps:
• Take the 2 missed pills as soon as possible and the next 2 pills the next day. 
• Then continue to take 1 pill every day until you finish the pack. 
• Use a non-hormonal birth control method (such as a condom and spermicide) as a backup if you have sex during the first 7 days after missing your pills.

If you miss 2 pills in a row in Week 3, or you miss 3 or more pills in a row during Weeks 1, 2, or 3 of the pack, follow these steps:
If you are a Day 1 Starter:
• Throw out the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that same day.
• You may not have your period this month but this is expected. However, if you miss your period 2 months in a row, call your healthcare provider because you might be pregnant.
• You could become pregnant if you have sex during the first 7 days after you restart your pills. You MUST use a non-hormonal birth control method (such as a condom and spermicide) as a backup if you have sex during the first 7 days after you restart your pills.
If you are a Sunday Starter:
• Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day.
• Use a non-hormonal birth control method (such as a condom and spermicide) as a backup if you have sex during the first 7 days after you restart your pills.

See the FDA-approved patient information and Instructions for Use for complete information on how to take Tri-Sprintec.

Tri-Sprintec (norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol tablets) comes in a blister pack of 28 pills, to be taken in order, one pill each day. Each active pill contains norgestimate (progestin) [0.18-0.25 mg] and ethinyl estradiol (estrogen) [0.035 mg].

Do not use Tri-Sprintec if you smoke cigarettes and are over 35 years old. Cigarette smoking increases your risk of serious side effects from hormonal birth control pills, including death from heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes. This risk increases with age, particularly in people over 35 years of age and with the number of cigarettes smoked. 

Do not take Tri-Sprintec if you have or have had blood clots or problems that increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, heart attack, liver tumors or liver disease, breast cancer or other hormonally sensitive cancer, or uncontrollable high blood pressure. Do not take Tri-Sprintec if you are pregnant. 

Common side effects of Tri-Sprintec include headaches, breast tenderness or pain, nausea or abdominal discomfort, vaginal infection or irregular bleeding, mood changes, and weight gain or loss. Tri-Sprintec can increase the risk of serious complications like blood clots, stroke, heart attack, and liver disease. Some studies suggest that people who take hormonal birth control pills could be at slightly increased risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer.

Serious blood clots can happen especially if you smoke, are obese, or are older than 35 years of age. Serious blood clots are more likely to happen when you first start taking birth control pills and when you restart the same or different birth control pills after not using them for a month or more.

Call your healthcare provider or go to a hospital emergency room right away if you have:
• leg pain that will not go away
• sudden severe shortness of breath
• sudden change in vision or blindness
• chest pain
• a sudden, severe headache unlike your usual headaches
• weakness or numbness in your arm or leg
• trouble speaking
• yellowing of your skin or eyes, which could be a sign of liver problems

Always discuss your complete medical history with your healthcare provider if you’re planning to take the pill or use any other form of birth control so that they can recommend the safest options. If you’re experiencing nausea or stomach upset with Tri-Sprintec, you can try taking the pills at bedtime or with your evening meal. But remember to take the pill at the same time every day. 

Tri-Sprintec can interact with many specific medications. Discuss your complete medical history including any medicines you're taking with our clinicians so they can recommend the right type of birth control treatment for you.

For a full list of side effects, interactions, and contraindications, please visit medlineplus.gov.

Prescription medications are not currently available in the following states: Alabama, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and West Virginia. This list is subject to change.