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Please note: The following answers relate to the combined pill ONLY. This is the pill that contains two hormones, oestrogen and progestogen. Common brands include: Microgynon 30_Tab®; Eugynon 30®; Trinordiol®; BiNovum®; Cilest®; Loestrin 30®; Norimin®; Ovysmen®; Synphase®; and TriNovum®

Is it ever safe to miss a pill?

Missing just one combined pill anywhere in the packet is not a problem as long as you can tick off the following: you took the last packet correctly; this is the only pill in this packet that you have missed; and you take the rest of this packet correctly. If you only miss one pill your contraception will still be working.

I missed a pill and now I am experiencing spotting half way through my cycle. Is this normal?

This is very common whichever pill you take. On the combined pill you may find that the spotting continues to the end of this packet of pills but it will normally sort itself out and go back to your normal pattern after you have had the seven-day break. As long as you only missed one pill then your contraception is still working and you should continue to take your pills as normal.

I have had mild diarrhoea - is the pill still effective?

For the pill to stop working you need to have severe diarrhoea (the type that you get when you have food poisoning). If the diarrhoea is mild then there is no need to worry, just continue to take your pills as normal. This is the same whatever pill you take.

I missed the first pill in my packet will I still be protected?

As long as you took the last seven pills of the previous packet correctly you are still protected after missing the first pill. If you forget any more pills in the first week of the packet then you won't be protected so it is important to take the rest of the pills correctly.

I missed the last pill in my packet what now?

If you are taking the combined pill there is no need to panic: it is fine to take only 20 pills instead of the normal 21. By missing the last pill in the packet all you have done is start your pill free week a day earlier than normal. What you need to do now is count this day as day one of the seven-day break. Have seven days without taking a pill and start your new packet on the eighth day. Remember though from now on you will stop and start your packet on a different day of the week to what you had been doing. If you follow these instructions your contraception will be working and it is safe to have sex.

I have missed a pill and my period is now late is this normal? 

Missing a period when you are on the pill is quite common and this is normally nothing to worry about if you have taken all the pills correctly. However if you have missed a pill and your period has not come when you expected it then it is always wise to speak to someone about your situation. Missing a period can be a sign of pregnancy and unfortunately sometimes contraception does fail even if you have used it correctly.

I have been away and forgot to take my pills so I have missed three out of my packet what now? 

Whichever pill you are taking it is important to restart your pills now. If you are taking the combined pill then missing three pills is only a problem if you they are from the first or the last week of the packet. 

• If the missed pills are in the first week and you have had sex recently you could have been at risk of pregnancy and may want to speak to someone about using emergency contraception.
  
• If you have missed pills from the last week then you need to carry on taking the next packet of pills when this one finishes so that you don't have the pill break. If you do this then it won't matter if you have had sex recently. If you take the break then you may be at risk of pregnancy if you have sex just before or in the break. If you are in this situation then you may want to think about using emergency contraception to reduce your chances of becoming pregnant.
  
• Providing you correctly take the rest of the packet before and after the missed pills, missing three pills in the middle of the packet should not be a problem.

Remember that whatever the situation your contraception will be working again once you have had seven days of correct pill taking and so you will need to use additional contraception until that time.

Please note that this is a guide only - if you have any further concerns, consult your GP or contact the fpa immediately.

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