Forgot to take KB pills? this is what you have to do

One way that can support the effectiveness of birth control pills as a means of contraception to prevent pregnancy is to consume it regularly. However, what if you forget to take birth control pills? What must be done so as not to cause an unplanned pregnancy? Check out the following explanation.

What if you forget to take birth control pills?

Basically, birth control pills come in 21 or 28 day packs. So, each pill should be taken every day, at the same time as the contents of the package, per 21 or 28 days. Usually, the efficacy and results of using birth control pills depend on certain reasons, including whether you take birth control pills regularly or frequently forget to take birth control pills.

In fact, to determine the right way to deal with the problem of forgetting to take this birth control pill, you may have to look at certain factors first. For example, how long did you forget to take birth control pills, how many birth control pills or types of birth control pills you forgot to take.

Based onMissed Birth Control Pill Guidelines which is published on the UCDavis Student Health and Counseling Services page, there are differences in how to deal with when you forget to take birth control pills. Consider some of the ways you can do if you forget to take birth control pills, such as the example below.

If you forget to take one birth control pill

When forgetting a single pill use, take the missed pill as soon as you remember it. Then, continue taking these birth control pills every day and try not to forget again.

If you usually take birth control pills at 9 a.m., and you just remember when it is 4 p.m., you should take one pill as soon as possible. On the next day, you can continue taking the birth control pills according to your usual schedule or time, which is 9 in the morning.

In essence, if you forget to take your birth control pill at a different time, you can continue to take the birth control pill for no more than 12 hours on the same day. If you have completely forgotten that you didn't take your birth control pill that day, then you need to take 2 pills the next day, followed by one pill as usual in the following days.

However, try when you remember, you still drink it at the same time every day. If you remember it is nearing the time to take your next dose, take two doses at once.

When you forget to take one pill, you don't need to use a condom when having sex. You also don't need to take emergency contraception after sex because it's still relatively safe. Even so, there is nothing wrong if you still want to keep using additional contraceptives as a form of backup protection.

If you forget to take the birth control pill twice

Meanwhile, if you forget to take a pill twice, you should immediately take the last dose you forgot to take. However, you don't need to take the first dose of the birth control pill that you forgot to take. Then, take the next dose of birth control pills according to the rules. Don't forget to use a backup method of contraception for the next seven days.

If you forget to take your birth control pill 2 days in a row, then you need to take 2 pills for two consecutive days followed by 1 pill as usual.

If you had unprotected sex within the previous five days and forgot two or more birth control pills in the first week of using them, you may need emergency contraception to reduce your risk of developing a pregnancy.

If you forget to take two birth control pills in the third week, you are advised to skip the placebo pill and take the next pack immediately when the last pill in the first pack is finished.

If you miss using the mini pill

Meanwhile, there are different ways to deal with the problem of forgetting to take other types of birth control pills, for example the mini birth control pill. If you forget to take the mini birth control pill for more than three hours, take it as soon as you remember. Then, take the next mini birth control pill as usual that day.

However, if you had sex within the previous three to five days, you may want to use additional contraception, such as emergency contraception.

How can you not forget to take birth control pills?

Forgetting to take birth control pills is indeed one of the most common mistakes in taking pills. In fact, if you forget to take these pills repeatedly, birth control pills may not work effectively to help you prevent pregnancy. In another sense, the use of birth control pills will be a waste.

Therefore, you could say that the use of birth control pills requires a high commitment. In order to maintain this commitment, it's a good idea to schedule your birth control pills at a time when you can remember to take the pills every day.

For example, you can drink it in the morning when you just wake up. The reason is, in the morning your mind and body are still in a fresh condition. Alternatively, you can use the application at cellphone or set a custom alarm as a reminder.

In addition, you also need to put the pills in a place that is easy to see so you don't forget them. Generally, it's okay to take two pills at once, but the stomach may experience side effects such as nausea, pain, and even vomiting.

You can also experience light bleeding that looks like menstruation as a side effect if you take two at a time. Therefore, if you need further information, you should immediately contact your doctor or midwife. Don't make decisions on your own without your doctor's knowledge if you accidentally forget about your birth control pill dose.

When deciding to take birth control pills, you should also consider whether you are forgetful or not. This is important so that you do not have trouble drinking it regularly. If you don't seem to be able to stick to a regular schedule for taking birth control pills every day, you may want to consider another form of contraception that doesn't require you to remember the rules for taking every day.