One of the complaints I hear from women about the Pill is that they have a hard time remembering to take it everyday. So what happens if you forget?
Being even 12 hours late taking your birth control pill could increase your chances of getting pregnant. If you miss any of the first 21 pills in your pack, you need to use a backup method of birth control (condoms) until you have taken 7 consecutive days of pills.
- If you miss 1 pill, take it as soon as you remember. Take your next pill at the regular time.
- If you realize when taking your pill that you skipped 1, take the pill you skipped AND the new 1 together. It's okay to take 2 pills at once.
- If you miss 2 pills, take 2 pills each day for the next two days, and then go back to 1 pill each day at your usual time. You could get pregnant if you have unprotected sex for the next 7 days, so make sure to use a backup method.
- If you forgot to take 1 pill during the 3rd week of your pill pack, finish the pills for that week, skip the last week (inactive pills) and begin a new pack. Understand that you probably won't have another period until the 4th week of this new pill pack. Use a backup method of birth control until you have taken 7 consecutive days of pills.
What if you forgot 3 or more pills in a row? To find out read more
- If you forget 3 or more pills, call your doctor for advice. They may suggest to take one pill daily until Sunday and then start a new pack, or to discard the rest of the pill pack and start over with a new pack that same day. Be sure to use a back up method of birth control method each time you have sex because you are no longer protected against pregnancy. After you've had 7 days of pills, then you are protected against pregnancy.
Dear's Advice: It's always a good idea to talk to your doctor if you have any questions. If you think there could be a chance that you are pregnant (and you don't want to be), Emergency Contraception (Plan B) is always an option. It is available in many pharmacies over the counter without a prescription if you're over 18. Something that I have always found to be effective is to set the alarm on your cell phone or outlook calendar to remind you!
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why do you have to start a new pack if you skip one pill during the third week, specifically? wouldn't taking the pill as soon as you remember and continuing on through the rest of the week as normal work the same as it does for the first two weeks?
1Great question - In the 28-day pill pack, where the first 3 weeks are hormonal pills, and the last week are inative (sugar) pills, if you miss 1 pill, say on wednesday of that week, then finish the week on Saturday, you've only taken 3 hormonal pills consistently. You need to have taken 7 hormonal pills in a row, and the last week of pills doesn't count (since they contain NO hormones). That's why you need to start a new pack, since the 1st 3 weeks of pills contain the hormones that prevent ovulation.
Does that make sense?
2For most birth control pills, you need to forget two pills and not one in the 3rd week to necessitate throwing out the pill pack. Also, if you miss two pills in the 3rd week your course of action differs if you are a day 1 starter or a Sunday starter. If you are a day 1 starter, you throw out the pack on that day and start a new one. If you are a Sunday starter, you take them for the rest of the week and then start a new pack on Sunday.
And generally, if you miss one active pill in week 1 or 2 you don't need to use a back-up method with most birth control pills...but if it makes you feel comfortable to use a back-up, by all means do it.
Strictly speaking, your course of action depends more on the estrogen content of your pills than anything else. Additionally, things are completely different if you are not on a combination pill and take a progestin pill instead. The advice given above applies to the most commonly used BCPs, but you should really refer to the prescribing information that comes with your specific pills, or ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
3Using the cell phone alarm is a great idea. Be wary of when you travel though and the time zone changes! (That happened to me couple weeks ago)
4I think my real question was, why does the advice specifically point out the 3rd week in the 4th bullet. And does the advice in the bullet still hold if you remember to take the pill later and finish out the rest of the pill weeks or is it only if you forget to take the pill at all or lose a pill and don't have enough for the rest of the week?
5i'm posting again b/c i need to subscribe...lol
6LaLaLaurie- At the beginning of each cycle, your estrogen levels begin to rise until they peak at the end of the second week. At the estrogen peak, you ovulate and release an egg. After that, progesterone begins to rise to prepare your uterine lining for an egg. If there is no conception, both hormones drop and you have a period. If you're on the pill, your estrogen levels are held stable and there is no estrogen peak and no ovulation occurs...however, if you miss a pill in the third week, it's similar to the timing that ovulation would normally occur. Missing a pill causes an estrogen peak similar to that of a normal period, and you have the possibility of ovulation on the pill.
7ahhh, so that could occur even if you forget to take it, and then take it as soon as you remember?
8I'm not sure what kind of time gap you're talking about-if you're talking a few hours, you probably wouldn't get the drop in hormones to ovulate in that third week window. Most sources say that you have to miss two pills in the third week to have to start the pack over....so if you miss the first one and take it as soon as you remember, and then take the rest of your pills on time you should be ok...but if you miss a second pill that's where the problem comes in.
9yes, thanks facin8me! that's exactly what i'm talking about! very interesting, though.
hey Dear, you should write something about the temperature that the pill is supposed to kept at. is that true? is there lee-way? any way to keep pills cool when you have to be out in the heat? is it better to take the pill late than to take it after being outside in the sun?
10This stuff drives me crazy and makes me insanely paranoid. Thank goodness for the people at Planned Parenthood being so patient and answering my questions (which I'm sure they're asked a hundred times a day). I'm kind of tempted to try that nuvaring thing, but I heard it makes you gain weight so...yeah :/
11what happens if you forgot to take birth control for a whole week?
12if you dont want to have any problems with taking a pill in time every day just try a new application on your iphone which calls The pill
13if you are interested in it follow this link http://www.tapouillo.com/thepill/
Good luck
I am on a 28 day birth control pack. I forgot to take Saturday's pill on the third week and I had sex on Sunday. As soon as I realized I forgot my last pill (sunday night) I took it. Is there anything else I need to do to prevent pregnancy?
14i took my pill 8 hours late, am i still safe ?
15i have a problem. Im currently taking the pill and during the 3rd week i missed monday to saturdays pills. On friday i started bleeding and it lasted until sunday morning. I always get my period wednesdaybut did not this week. What should i do?
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