If You Miss a Pill

For best protection against pregnancy, it’s important to take your pill at the same time every day. To help you remember, try linking “pill time” to something you routinely do each day, like brushing your teeth. This way, taking your pill can become second nature.

Be sure to print and keep this guide so you’ll know what to do if you forget to take your pill.

What do I do if I miss 1 pill?

Take the missed pill as soon as you remember.
THEN, take the next pill at your regular time. This means you may take 2 pills in 1 day.

What do I do if I miss 2 pills and remember on the day of the second missed pill?

Take 2 missed pills on the day you remember. The following day, you will be back on schedule to take 1 pill a day.

For example, you usually take your pills in the morning, and you missed 1 pill on Monday and 1 on Tuesday. On Tuesday evening, you remember that you missed your Monday and Tuesday pills. You take the missed Monday and Tuesday pills on Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday morning, you’re back on schedule and you take 1 pill at the usual time.

What if I miss 2 pills and remember on the day after the second pill is missed?

Take 2 missed pills on the day you remember. The next day, you take 2 pills. The following day, you are back on schedule to take your pills.

For example, you usually take your pills in the morning, and you missed 1 pill on Monday and 1 on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, you remember that you missed your Monday and Tuesday pills. You take the missed Monday and Tuesday pills on Wednesday morning, and on Thursday morning take the Wednesday and Thursday pills at the usual time. On Friday morning, you’re back on schedule and you take 1 pill.

What if I miss 3 or more pills?

Contact your health care professional for further advice. Keep taking one pill every day until you reach your health care professional. Do not take the missed pills.

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