Things you need to do if you forget to take birth control pills

Pill k ontraseption combination (PKK) which is usually known as birth control pills is one method that is sufficient effective in preventing pregnancy , provided pills are consumed regularly every day. Then, what if you forgot to take birth control pills?

PKK contains the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Low-dose birth control pills (formulations containing ethinyl estradiol less than 50 mcg) are a safe and reliable contraceptive choice for most women. For healthy women who don't smoke, birth control pills can be taken until menopause.

Because birth control pills must be consumed at the same time every day, it requires patience in using this contraceptive. Many women like to forget to take birth control pills or skip them for several days. This will affect the effectiveness of birth control pills, which ultimately leads to contraceptive failure.

What To Do If Forgotten Birth control pills?

To get the benefits as a contraceptive, you should not miss the schedule for taking birth control pills. If you forget to take birth control pills, here's what you need to do:

If forget to take 1-2 pills

If you forget to take 1-2 pills, then you should take the missed pills as soon as you remember and continue taking 1 more pill the next time you take the medicine. In this condition, you might take 2 pills on the same day.

You do not need to use additional contraception to prevent pregnancy if only 1-2 pills are missed, because the effect of birth control pills in suppressing ovulation (release of eggs from the ovaries) still works.

If forgot to take 3 pills or more

If you forget to take 3 or more birth control pills in succession, the remaining pills must be taken as usual as scheduled and just ignore the missed schedule. But to prevent pregnancy, you need to use additional contraceptive methods, such as condoms, until the rest of the birth control pills run out.

The risk of ovulation is greater if you miss 3 or more birth control pills, especially in the first week of pill use. That way, the chances of getting pregnant will also increase.

When Should Additional Contraception Use??

When you forget to take birth control pills, it is recommended that you use additional contraceptives, such as condoms, in the following conditions:

• Forgot to take 3 or more birth control pills in a row during the first week of the menstrual cycle, and have sex the same week.
• Forgot to take birth control pills and there are no new birth control pills (next cycle). In this condition, backup contraception must be used until the hormone pill from the new dosage is taken for 7 consecutive days.

In essence, birth control pills should be taken regularly and regularly at the same time every day. You can put reminders on your mobile so you don't forget to take birth control pills, or link your birth control pills to routine activities that you do every day at the same time, for example before going to sleep or after waking up.

If you forget to take birth control pills, you should use additional contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy. Feel free to consult a doctor if you experience problems using the contraceptive pill.

Written by:

dr. Akbar Novan Dwi Saputra, SpOG
(Gynecologist)

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