I forgot to take the pill, now what?

Those who take the pill for continuous use have up to 3 hours after the usual time to take the forgotten pill, but those who take any other type of pill have up to 12 hours to take the forgotten pill, without having to worry.

If you forget to take the pill, it is important to consider using another method of contraception. See more how to choose the best contraceptive method to avoid the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.

In case of forgetfulness we indicate what you need to do in the following table:

	Up to 12h of forgetfulness	Over 12 hours of forgetting (1, 2 or more)
21 and 24 day pill (Diane 35, Selene, Thames 20, Yasmin, Minimal, Mirelle)	Take as soon as you remember. You have no risk of becoming pregnant.	- In the 1st week: Take as soon as you remember and the other at the usual time. Use a condom for the next 7 days. There is a risk of becoming pregnant if you have had sex in the previous week. - In the 2nd week: Take as soon as you remember, even if you have to take 2 pills together. There is no need to use a condom and there is no risk of becoming pregnant. - At the end of the pack: Take the pill as soon as you remember and follow the pack as normal, but amend with the next pack, soon after, without having a period.
	Up to 3h of forgetfulness	More than 3h of forgetfulness (1, 2 or more)
28-day pill (Micronor, Adoless and Gestinol)	Take as soon as you remember. You have no risk of becoming pregnant.	Take as soon as you remember but use a condom for the next 7 days to avoid getting pregnant.

In addition, it is necessary to follow some recommendations of what to do according to the amount of pills in the pack, such as:

1. If you forget to take the 1st pill from the pack

• When you need to start a new card, you have up to 24 hours to start the card without having to worry. You do not need to use a condom in the next few days, but there is a risk of becoming pregnant if you had sexual intercourse in the previous week. If you forget more than 48 hours you should not start the pack and wait for menstruation to come and on that first day of menstruation start a new pack. During this period of waiting for menstruation you should use a condom.

2. If you forget 2, 3 or more pills in a row

• When you forget 2 pills or more from the same pack there is a risk of becoming pregnant and that is why you must use a condom in the next 7 days, there is also a risk of becoming pregnant if you have had sex in the previous week. In any case, you should continue the pills normally until you finish the pack. If you forget 2 pills in the 2nd week, you can leave the pack for 7 days and on the 8th day start a new pack. If you forget 2 pills in the 3rd week, you can leave the card for 7 days and on the 8th day start a new card OR continue with the current card and then amend with the next card.

Forgetting contraceptives on the right day is one of the biggest causes of unwanted pregnancies, so check out our video for what to do in each situation, in a clear, simple and fun way:

When to take the morning after pill

The morning-after pill is an emergency contraception that can be used up to 72 hours after sex without a condom. However, it should not be used regularly because it has a high hormonal concentration and changes the woman's menstrual cycle. Some examples are: D-Day and Ellaone.

How to know if I got pregnant

If you forget to take the pill, depending on the time of forgetting, the week and how many pills you forgot to take in the same month, there is a risk of becoming pregnant. Therefore, it is recommended to take the pill as soon as you remember and follow the information indicated in the table above.

However, the only way to confirm that you are pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. The pregnancy test can be done at least 5 weeks after the day you forgot to take the pill, because before, even if you are pregnant the result may be a false negative due to the small amount of Beta HCG hormone in the pee.

Another quicker way to find out if you are pregnant is to look at the first 10 pregnancy symptoms that may come before your menstrual delay. You can also take our online pregnancy test to find out if there is any chance that you could be pregnant:

• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Know if you are pregnant

Start the test

In the last month have you had sex without using a condom or other contraceptive method such as an IUD, implant or contraceptive?

• Yes No

Have you noticed any pink vaginal discharge lately?

• Yes No

Are you getting sick and want to throw up in the morning?

• Yes No

Are you more sensitive to smells, getting bothered by smells like cigarettes, food or perfume?

• Yes No

Does your belly look more swollen than before, making it harder to keep your jeans tight during the day?

• Yes No

Does your skin look more oily and acne prone?

• Yes No

Are you feeling more tired and more sleepy?

• Yes No

Has your period been delayed for more than 5 days?

• Yes No

Have you ever had a pharmacy pregnancy test or blood test in the last month, with a positive result?

• Yes No

Did you take the morning after pill recently?

• Yes No