What to Do If You Missed Your Birth Control Pills: A Comprehensive Guide

Question
"I have been taking the pill for about 4 months now. I recently had surgery to find out if I had endometriosis. That was in July. In that month I had missed some of my pills and then in august I missed two in a row 2X in the first week and then I missed a couple in between. I did not take the missed pills. This month (September) I alternated packs so that the missed pills from last time would be used up. I took all the pills that were required for the month, one each day. But I missed one of the pills in the third week. I did not take it. But all the other pills I did. I also do not take them at the same time every day. Some I take late at night........just before 12am or just after. Now this month I let my partner finish inside me. Is there a chance that I could get pregnant? I take Alesse 28days. I hope this is not too confusing for you."

Answer
Hi Jenise,

Yes, there is a chance you could be pregnant. Whenever you miss pills you increase the chances of pregnancy. This does not mean you are definitely pregnant, just that your chance is greater.

For the pill to have the maximum effectiveness you need to take one each day at around the same time. If you are having trouble remembering when to take them, I suggest setting an alarm to remind you, or choosing to take them at the time you do something else every day (for example, when you brush your teeth in the morning, etc.) You should also not miss any pills, but if you do so, you should take those pills as soon as you remember, then take the pill for that day. I have attached a link that will tell you what to do about missed pills in the future.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/if-forget-take-pill...

If you had unprotected sex within the last 5 days you may want to consider Plan B, the emergency contraceptive pill. If you had unprotected sex more than 14 days ago you can take an early home pregnancy test, such as First Response.

I am not sure where you are in this month's pill pack. My suggestion to get back on track is to set aside your current and previous pill packs and start with a completely new pack. Use a back-up method, such as a condom, for the first 7 days on this pack. This means you may not get a period this month.

I hope this helps. If you have further questions, let me know.

-Mia