MISSED PILL ADVICE

Combined Oral Contraception: Missed Pill

How late are they?

More than 12 hours late:

• take the last missed pill immediately
• leave any earlier missed pills
• use extra precautions for seven days.

Less than 12 hours late:

• take the missed pill immediately and carry on as usual, no extra precautions necessary.

How many pills left after the missed pills?

Seven or more pills

• when the pack is finished, leave the usual seven day break before starting the next pack.

Less than three hours late

• take the pill immediately and take the next one at the usual time. This may mean taking two pills in one day.

Every day pill

If a pill is taken more than 12 hours late, use extra precautions for the next seven days and, if there are less than seven active pills left in the pack, miss out all the inactive pills (the larger ones) and start taking the next active pill in the new pack.

Antibiotics / Diarrhoea and vomiting (D&V)

While a client has D&V or is on broad-spectrum antibiotics, extra precautions should be taken during this time and for seven days after. If the D&V or antibiotics run into the last seven pills of the pack, omit the pill-free interval and start the next pack without the usual break.