Forgetting to take a birth control pill can increase the risk of pregnancy. If a combined pill is missed, take it as soon as possible and use backup contraception for 2-7 days. If a progestogen-only pill is missed, take it as soon as possible and use backup contraception for at least 7 days. Missing two or more active pills can significantly increase the risk of pregnancy and backup contraception should be used for a week. Taking the pill at the same time each day is important for maximum effectiveness.
Forgetting to take a birth control pill can increase your risk of becoming pregnant. If you are taking a combined pill, you may need to use backup protection, take two pills at the same time, or skip some or all of the inactive pills in the package. If you are taking a progestogen-only pill, you will most likely need to take the pill as soon as you remember and use backup contraception for two to seven days after the missed contraceptive pill.
It is common for many women to forget to take the combined pill for a day. If this happens to you, take the forgotten contraceptive pill as soon as you remember and finish the pack as planned. If the missed contraceptive pill is one of the sugar pills at the end of most packs, throw the pill away and continue taking the remaining inactive pills; It’s important to never go more than seven days without taking an active pill. If you forget a pill in the first week of a new pack, you may want to use a back-up contraceptive method for the following week. The combination of seven days without hormonal contraceptives during the inactive portion of the pack and then missing a pill in the early portion of the active portion may reduce contraceptive effectiveness.
Lack of two or more active combined pills can significantly increase the chances of getting pregnant; no matter where you are in the pack, you will need to use a backup method of contraception for a week after you resume taking the pills. If you realize you’ve missed a few pills, most doctors recommend taking two at once, repackaging, and using backup protection for a week. If you miss two or more pills in the third week of a pack, you should run out of active pills in your pack and go straight to the next pack, skipping the inactive pills in the first pack. If you miss two or more pills in the first week of the pack and have had unprotected sex, you may want to use emergency contraception to protect yourself from an unplanned pregnancy. If you have lost only two of the inactive pills, throw the pills away and resume taking the pack as scheduled.
A contraceptive pill forgotten while taking progestogen-only contraceptives can greatly increase the chances of getting pregnant. While combination pills should be taken at about the same time each day, progestogen-only pills should absolutely be taken at the same time to maximize contraceptive effectiveness. If you don’t take your pill within three hours of your usual time, you will need to take your pill as soon as you remember and use back-up contraception for the next two days.
If it’s been less than three hours, take the pill as soon as you remember and use your backup for the next 24 hours. If you have missed a day or more of your progestogen-only pill, take the pack back as scheduled and use backup contraception for at least seven days. If you’ve had unprotected sex during this time, you may want to use emergency contraception to make sure you don’t get pregnant. A missed contraceptive pill, whether it’s a combination or progestin-only, can greatly reduce the effectiveness of birth control; taking your oral contraceptive every day as scheduled is one of the best ways to protect yourself from an unplanned pregnancy.
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