What to do if you forget to take the contraceptive pill for one day

Contraceptive pills cannot be taken for a long time. Some are long-term contraceptive pills that need to be taken for a long time to be effective. It doesn't matter if you miss a day occasionally, because the contraceptive pills are still in the body. You can take the contraceptive pills on time the next day without affecting the contraceptive effect. Missing the birth control pill for one day may reduce the contraceptive effect, but if you want to prevent pregnancy, it is recommended to use condoms.

Case 1: If the missed dose is within 12 hours, the contraceptive effect will not be reduced. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember and take the next tablet at the regular time.

Case 2: If you miss a dose for more than 12 hours, the contraceptive effect may be reduced. You can follow the following suggestions to deal with the missed dose:

① Missed doses occurred in the first week

Take the last of the missed tablet as soon as you remember, and then take the remaining tablets at your regular time, which means that two tablets may be taken in the same day. Barrier contraception (such as condoms) should be used during the following 7 days. If you have sexual intercourse within the first 7 days of missed doses, there is a possibility of pregnancy. The more pills you miss and the closer you are to the discontinuation date, the higher the risk of pregnancy.

② Missed dose occurred in the second week

Take the last of the missed tablet as soon as you remember, and then take the remaining tablets at your regular time, which means that two tablets may be taken in the same day. If you have taken the pills correctly and continuously for 7 days before your first missed pill, you do not need to take any other contraceptive measures. If you have not taken the pills correctly and continuously in the 7 days before you missed a pill, or if you missed more than one pill, it is recommended to use a barrier method of contraception for the next 7 days.

③ Missed dose occurred in the third week

Method 1: Take the last missed pill as soon as you remember, and take the remaining pills at the regular time, which means you may take two pills on the same day. Once you finish the current tablet, you start taking the next tablet immediately, so there is no break period. There may be no withdrawal bleeding before the second tablet is finished, but there may be irregular bleeding (spotting or breakthrough bleeding) during the medication period.

Method 2: You can also stop taking the medicine on this plate for 7 days (including the days you missed pills), and then continue to take the next plate.

Note: If you have taken the medication correctly in the first 7 days before missing the first dose, you can use any of the above methods without using other contraceptive measures. If the method of taking the first missed dose is incorrect during the first 7 days, it is recommended to use the first method and use a barrier method for the next 7 days.

If there is no withdrawal bleeding during the first pill-free period after missing a pill, the possibility of pregnancy should be considered.

Situation 3: Vomiting may also cause missed doses

If you vomit within 3 to 4 hours of taking a medication, the active ingredient in the medication may not have been fully absorbed. This is like missing a pill: it can be handled according to Case 1 and Case 2.