If you miss a birth control pill, what to do depends on the type of pill and how many pills you missed:
For Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills (COCs)
- If you miss 1 pill or are less than 24 hours late:
Take the missed pill as soon as you remember, then continue taking the rest of the pills at the usual time (which may mean taking two pills in one day). No additional contraception is usually needed
- If you miss 2 or more consecutive pills (more than 48 hours late):
Take the most recent missed pill as soon as possible and discard any other missed pills. Continue taking the remaining pills at the usual time. Use backup contraception (like condoms) or avoid sex for the next 7 days. Emergency contraception should be considered if you had unprotected sex in the last 5 days or missed pills early in the cycle
- If you miss pills near the end of the pack with fewer than 7 active pills left:
Finish the active pills, skip the placebo pills, and start a new pack immediately. Use backup contraception for 7 days after missing pills
For Progestin-Only Pills (Mini-Pills)
- If you are more than 3 hours late taking a traditional mini-pill or miss a pill:
Take the missed pill as soon as you remember and use backup contraception for the next 48 hours. If you missed two or more pills, take two pills on the day you remember and two the next day, then continue normally
- For drospirenone-only mini-pills (e.g., Slynd):
If you miss 1 pill, take it as soon as possible and continue normally without backup. If you miss 2 or more pills, take the most recent missed pill, continue daily, and use backup contraception for 7 days
Additional Recommendations
- Consider emergency contraception if you missed multiple pills and had unprotected sex within the last 5 days, especially if missed pills occurred early in the pack or after a hormone-free interval
- If unsure about your pill type or what to do, contact your healthcare provider for personalized advice
- Always take the most recent missed pill as soon as possible and continue the pack as usual.
- Backup contraception (condoms) should be used for 7 days after missing multiple pills or if advised by your provider.
In summary, missing a single pill usually only requires taking it as soon as possible and continuing your schedule, but missing two or more pills increases the risk of pregnancy and requires additional precautions like backup contraception and possibly emergency contraception
