Starting the pill.
You can start the pill any time in your menstrual cycle if you are sure you are not pregnant.
If you start the pill on the first day of your period you will be protected from pregnancy immediately.
You can also begin the pill pack the Sunday after you begin bleeding.
You can also start the pill up to, and including, the fifth day of your period and you will be protected
from pregnancy immediately.
If you start the pill at any other time in your menstrual cycle you will need to use additional
contraception, such as condoms, for the first 7 days of pill taking.
If you forget to take a pill or start a pack late
Missing pills or starting the pack late may make your pill less effective. The chance of pregnancy after
missing pills depends on when pills are missed and how many pills are missed. A pill is late when you
have forgotten to take it at the usual time. A pill has been missed when it is more than 24 hours since
the time you should have taken it.
If you miss one pill anywhere in your pack or start the new pack 1 day late, you will still have
contraceptive coverage. However, missing two or more pills or starting the pack two or more days late
(more than 48 hours late) may affect your contraceptive coverage. In particular, during the pill-free
break your ovaries are not getting any effects from the pill. If you make this pill-free break longer by
forgetting two or more pills, your ovaries might release an egg, and there is a real risk of becoming
pregnant. As soon as you realize you have missed any pills, take the last pill you missed immediately.
Follow the advice below. If you are not sure what to do, continue to take your pill and use additional
contraception, such as condoms, and seek advice as soon as possible.
If you have missed one pill, anywhere in the pack:
Take the last pill you missed now even if it means taking two pills in 1 day
Continue taking the rest of the pack as usual
No additional contraception needed
Take your entire pack as normal.
If you have missed two or more pills (i.e. more than 48 hours late), anywhere in the pack:
Take the last pill you missed now, even if it means taking two pills in 1 day-Space the pills at least four
hours apart to decrease nausea.
Leave any earlier missed pills
Continue taking the rest of the pack as usual and use an extra method of contraception for the next 7
days
You may need emergency contraception – see below
You may need to start the next pack of pills without a break – see below.