The contraceptive pill protects us against unwanted pregnancies if we take it properly. These are capsules with hormones that act as a barrier to prevent fertilization. However, many times we end up forgetting to take it for various reasons, which reduces its effectiveness.
This forgetfulness is the most common reason for going to the pharmacy or to the doctor, as we feel vulnerable to what can happen after forgetting to take the pill. But, what happens with these forgetfulness? And, above all, what steps should be followed if you have forgotten to take the birth control pill?
At what point did you forget to take your birth control pill?
To begin with, the most important thing is to distinguish when we are when we have forgotten to take the birth control pill. There are two key moments: when more than 12 hours have passed since we should have taken it, and when less than those hours have passed.
- If less than 12 hours have passed
You can be calm. Everyone can be careless, and you still have time to take it. We assume that the scare will prevent you from forgetting it so easily, but still remember to give yourself a warning so that it does not happen again and, of course, take your pill before those 12 hours have elapsed.
- If more than 12 hours have passed
What happens if the forgetfulness is greater than 12 hours? You must distinguish in which week of the process of taking the pills you are, because it is not the same if you are in the first, second or third week. The procedure for all three cases will be completely different.
More than 12 hours since you should have taken the pill
As we said in the previous point, when less than 12 hours have passed there is no risk. You can take it whenever you want, as long as that period of time does not pass. But if more than 12 hours have passed, you will distinguish by weeks to carry out one process or another.
First week
When you have forgotten to take the birth control pill in the first week, it is the most dangerous forgetfulness. The reason? We have been in the pause and, therefore, the organism did not receive the dose to prevent ovulation. The risk of pregnancy exists, and you must exercise great caution.
Take the pill as soon as you remember (you can take two tablets at the same time) and then continue taking the pill as normal. Of course, it is best to use a barrier contraceptive method, such as a condom, for the next 7 days.
Second week
In the second week there is not as much risk as in the first, so take the tablet as soon as you remember. Even if you have to take two at the same time, you can also do it as in the previous case, and continue the intake as normal in the world.
Remember that if you had taken the pill correctly in the seven days before you forgot, you do not need to use another contraceptive method. However, it is recommended that you use a condom for a while to prevent a possible pregnancy.
Third week
In the third week the same thing happens, if you have taken the tablets the days before you forgot, you will not have to take additional measures. Take the pill, and remember that you should not forget it anymore. You can continue the procedure as usual, and delete the rest week, or you can opt to stop taking the tablets from the current box and go to the rest week.
Have you forgotten to take two or more birth control pills?
- There are times when forgetfulness goes much further, and we do not forget to take a pill, but two or three. This constitutes a much greater danger, since the risk of pregnancy is higher. What is recommended in these cases? Use the condom for at least 7 days. In addition, in these cases it is better to stop taking the pills until our period comes down.
- You also have another option if you forgot to take all those pills. Take the pill corresponding to that day, and leave the forgotten ones in the blister pack. Continue to take all pills as normal, although you should use another method of contraception when having sex.
- The most important thing about all this is that you take the daily intake of birth control pills very seriously. Remember that you can always associate taking the pill with lunch or dinner, or you can set an alarm on your mobile so that you always remember. There are also many applications that will remind you automatically.
The morning after pill, an alternative?
- It is very important that you know that the morning after pill is only an emergency contraceptive. Therefore, you do not need to go to her every time you have an oversight unless this is, for example, having had sex without a condom and without taking oral contraceptives.
- The concentration of hormones that exists in these pills is too high, the main reason why it is not recommended to make an abusive use of it. One of the biggest risks it has is that it can end up altering the woman’s cycle, so it is not an alternative to your contraception methods.
