What to do if I forget a birth control pill – 4 steps

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The contraceptive pill It is the most effective and safest method to prevent unwanted pregnancies, however for that 99% effectiveness to be achieved, it is important to take them appropriately, understanding their correct functioning. Of course, none of us is exempt from carelessness, and we may forget to take a lozenge, which can reduce protection. If it has happened to you, at unComo.com we explain what to do if you forget a birth control pill.

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Steps to follow:

The first thing you should understand is that it is important to take the anticonceptive pill every day at the same time or at close times. This favors the effectiveness of the pill since your body always receives the hormones they contain at the same time of day.

If you have forgotten to take the contraceptive pill and you remember between 1 and 12 hours after the moment you should have taken it, you should simply take the pill you forgot. During the first 12 hours You will be protected from forgetting, so you can continue with your contraceptives as usual.

If you forgot to take the contraceptive pill and it has been more than 12 hourstake the tablet you forgot as soon as you remember and continue with your normal intake, or take two tablets together if you realized 24 hours later.

Faced with this type of forgetfulness, the effectiveness of the pill decreases, so you should take into account some recommendations:

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If you forget one or more pills during first week of taking and you have had sex without additional protection in the 5 to 7 days of that week, it is recommended to use the emergency pill. If there have been no encounters, it is enough to use a condom such as a condom for 7 days after forgetting the pill. If you forget one or more pills during the second week The effect of the pill will not be altered and it will not be necessary to use another reinforcement method. If you forget one or more pills during the third week and you use a 21-tablet method, without placebo pills, it is advisable to finish that package and start immediately with a new one. In the absence of rest you won’t have your period although you may experience slight bleeding. Another alternative is to stop taking pills, this in case you have forgotten several pills in the third week, and rest for 7 days, and then start a new pack. If your contraceptive pills are 28 pills, that is, They have some placebo pills, and you have forgotten these, there is no problem because these pills do not contain hormones.

If you have any questions, it is advisable to consult your gynecologist. Furthermore, it is important to always keep the leaflet of contraceptive pillswhich clearly explains what to do in these specific cases.

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