Missing Pills…What to do

MISSING PILLS

What can a woman do if she misses combined oral contraceptives (COCs)?

For 30-35 µg ethinylestradiol pills:

Missed 1 or 2 active (hormonal) pills or if she starts a pack 1 or 2 days late

• She should take an active (hormonal) pill as soon as possible * and then continue taking pills daily, 1 each day.
• She does not need any additional contraceptive protection.

Missed 3 or more active (hormonal) pills or if she starts a pack 3 or more days late

• She should take an active (hormonal) pill as soon as possible* and then continue taking pills daily, 1 each day.
• She should also use condoms or abstain from sex until she has taken active (hormonal) pills for 7 days in a row.
• If she missed the pills in the third week, she should finish the active (hormonal) pills in her current pack and start a new pack the next day.  She should not take the 7 inactive pills.
• If she missed the pills in the first week and had unprotected sex, she may wish to consider the use of emergency contraception.

For 20 µg or less ethinylestradiol pills:

• If the woman misses 1 active (hormonal) pill or starts a pack 1 day late, she should follow the guidance above for “Missed 1 or 2 active (hormonal) pills or if she starts a pack 1 or 2 days late.”
• If the woman misses 2 or more active (hormonal) pills or if she starts a pack 2 or more days late, she should follow the guidance above for “Missed 3 or more active (hormonal) pills or if she starts a pack 3 or more days late.”

For both 30-35 µg and 20 µg or less ethinylestradiol pills:

Missed any inactive (nonhormonal) pills

• She should discard the missed inactive (nonhormonal) pill(s) and then continue taking pills daily, 1 each day.

*    If a woman misses more than 1 active (hormonal) pill, she can take the first missed pill and then either continue taking the rest of the missed pills or discard them to stay on schedule.

http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/publications/