If you're on the combined contraceptive pill and you miss a pill, what you need to do depends on: This advice is about combined contraceptive pills, except Daylette, Eloine, Qlaira and Zoely. If you're using one of these types of combined pill, get advice or read the patient information leaflets that can be found on the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website: See
What should I do if I miss a pill (progestogen-only pill)? for information about missed pills and the progestogen-only pill. If you have missed 1 pill anywhere in the pack or
started a new pack 1 day late, you're still protected against pregnancy. You should: You do
not need to use extra contraception. If you have missed 2 or more pills anywhere in the pack or started a new pack 2 or more days late (48 hours or more), your protection against pregnancy may be affected. You should: When you come to the end of your pill pack, after missing 2 or more pills: You may also need
emergency contraception if you have missed 2 or more pills in the first week of a pack and had unprotected sex in the previous 7 days. What if I'm not sure what to do?If you're not sure what to do:
Why this advice may be different from the advice in your contraceptive leafletYou may find the advice on this page differs from advice provided in the contraceptive manufacturer's patient information leaflets. The information on this page is based on recommendations issued by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA). The recommendations are evidence-based, which means they're supported by a large amount of scientific research. These recommendations are used in the FPA's combined pill patient information leaflet. The manufacturer's advice may be more cautious and say there's a risk of pregnancy if you have missed 1 pill or a pill is taken more than 12 hours after the usual time. Where to get further adviceYou can get advice from:
Find sexual health services near you (including contraception clinics) Find pharmacists near you Find GPs near you Page last reviewed: 14 February 2019 Below are some commonly asked questions and answers regarding women’s health concerns. If you do not see an answer to your question here, feel free to contact the Women’s Health Clinic for more information. Click on a question below to read the answer. View a comprehensive list of contraceptive options — including pros and cons — from the Reproductive
Health Access Project. BACK TO TOP If you are not using any type of birth control and have had unprotected intercourse, you need emergency contraception. Further recommendations for specific concerns are addressed below. Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) are available without a prescription to
anyone in the SHCC Pharmacy as well as external retail pharmacies. ECPs are available to students for $10 in the SHCC Pharmacy. If you use emergency contraception and do not have a period within 3 weeks after taking it, you need to take a pregnancy test. If you are on birth control but feel you have used it incorrectly, please contact SHCC Pharmacy staff or the Women’s Health Clinic directly to discuss whether or not you need emergency contraception.
Below is some information on troubleshooting birth control usage. Additional information may be found in the following questions and answers. BACK TO TOP If you missed 1 pill, take it as soon as you remember to. If you are taking
today’s pill and realize you missed yesterday’s pill, take both pills at the same time. You are still protected from pregnancy as long as you catch up your doses within 24 hours. In this case, you do not need emergency contraception. If taking a progestin only pill, you should use a back up method for the next 48 hours. If you missed 2 pills in a row — including starting your pack 2 days late — you have lost protection against pregnancy. Use emergency contraception if
you have had unprotected intercourse. Catch up on your missed pills by taking 2 today and 2 tomorrow. Continue taking the rest of the pack. Make sure to use back-up contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days. (It takes 7 days back on schedule to get your contraception back.) Expect break-through bleeding. If you missed 3 pills in a row, you are going to bleed — just consider this your period placebo days. Start a new pack of pills right away. Make sure to use back-up
contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days. Do not rely on the pill to protect you from pregnancy until you are back on it for 7 days! Use emergency contraception if:
BACK TO TOP Am I protected from pregnancy during the placebo days of my birth control pill? OR Am I protected from pregnancy during the days off between my birth control ring?You are protected from pregnancy during the days off between birth control as long as you have taken the pills or worn the ring correctly during the preceding 21 days. BACK TO TOP I am having irregular bleeding. What does that mean?If you are on a hormonal contraceptive method — such as the pill, ring, patch, Mirena or Implanon — it is most likely related to the hormones. If you are late taking a pill or change your schedule you may have bleeding. Keep a calendar of your bleeding days and contact us if it is unusually heavy or persists the next cycle. If you are not on a hormonal contraceptive method, your cycle may be affected by stress, travel, exercise, dietary changes, weight gain or loss or illness. Chlamydia may also cause light bleeding; if you have not been screened and have had unprotected intercourse, chlamydia testing can be done with a urine sample by appointment. What bleeding changes need to be evaluated by a health care provider? If you have repeated bleeding after intercourse, unusually heavy bleeding, unusually painful cramping with bleeding or irregular bleeding that persists the next cycle, please call to schedule an appointment. BACK TO TOP I missed my period, but I am on the pill. What does this mean?If you have been taking your pills correctly every day and you are not on any prescription medications which might interfere with pill effectiveness (rifampin, griseofulvin, certain seizure medications), you are not pregnant. Many of today’s low dose pills stimulate very little lining of the uterus to develop and, in some circumstances (stress, travel, diet change, exercise change), there is minimal to no bleeding. Keep taking your pills. If you miss a second period, you should take a pregnancy test just to be sure. If you cannot tolerate not having a period, we can change your pill; however, many women see this as an added benefit and it is not unhealthy to not menstruate as long as you are on birth control. BACK TO TOP I missed my period, but I am not on the pill. What does this mean?If your cycles are mostly regular and you are not sexually active in any way that could potentially get you pregnant — the “pulling out” method included! — then it is probably related to stress, life style changes, dietary changes etc (see “Am I protected from pregnancy during the placebo days of my birth control pill? OR Am I protected from pregnancy during the days off between my birth control ring?”). Keep a calendar of your menstruation pattern. If you miss 2 or 3 periods, call to make an appointment. We can check some basic lab studies to rule out thyroid or pituitary gland problems and we can also stimulate a period with hormones. Many times nature takes it course and your cycles will return as your body rhythm returns. If there is no risk of pregnancy it is safe to wait and see if your cycles return in 2-3 months. If, on the other hand, you are sexually active in any way that could potentially get you pregnant, you should take a pregnancy test. The most common reason for a missed period is pregnancy. Over-the-counter pregnancy tests are very accurate and can detect pregnancy right at the time of the missed period or about 14 days after possible conception. You may also call to schedule a pregnancy test with the Women’s Health Clinic. BACK TO TOP I think I have a yeast infection. What should I do?Yeast infections are very common and usual symptoms include vaginal itching/burning, redness of the skin around the vagina, discomfort during and after vaginal intercourse and increased discharge. If you have taken antibiotics recently you are at high risk of a secondary vaginal yeast infection. You may use an over-the-counter yeast infection treatment. (We suggest the 3-day cream or suppositories.) If your symptoms do not improve in 1 week, make an appointment for an examination. If you find sores or bumps, also make an appointment for an examination. If you have had unprotected sex, you need to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STDs/STIs). BACK TO TOP I am worried I might have a sexually transmitted disease/infection (STD/STI). What should I look for and how can I get tested?If you find any bumps or sores, call the Women’s Health Clinic or your medical team and make an appointment to be seen right away.
BACK TO TOP How long does it take for birth control to work when starting a new pack?If you start at any other time during your menstrual cycle, you'll be protected from pregnancy after 7 days of using the pill. Use another method of birth control — like a condom — if you have vaginal sex during that time.
Are You Protected between pill packs?You are protected from pregnancy during your pill free week as long as you start taking your pill again on the 8th day. The clinic doctor or nurse may suggest that you take the pill in a different, more modern way. This has several advantages: you will have less breaks from the pill and therefore less periods.
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