Can I get pregnant if I'm on The Pill?

It depends on what type of pill it is and how late. Missing a pill increases your risk of becoming pregnant. BCPs are 98% to 99% effective for women who take the pills every day as directed. Pill-taking mistakes decrease effectiveness.

If it’s more than 2 hours late or early then you should use a back up method such as a condom for the rest of the cycle. (it’s recommended 7 days… but I would for the whole cycle)

In my experience I’ve never gotten pregnant even when I’ve taken pills late but it has caused me a ton of stress and worry. I’ve heard of a lot of girls getting pregnant on the tri-phasic pills (3 different types of hormone level pills) so I stick to the mono-phasic ones ( 1 type of hormone level).

You should check the leaflet of your pill pack for specific information about missed and late pills.

When starting BCPs, it will take 7 days for the pill to become effective at preventing pregnancy. You will need to use a second method of contraception during these 7 days. (such as condoms.)

**Be aware that your first and last active pills are the most important pills in your pack. Being late starting your next pack or forgetting your last active pill will lengthen the

Taking your pill consistently every day gives you the best protection against pregnancy. Occasionally you may be late taking a pill or forget to take a pill. Spotting is likely to occur if you miss pills, but more importantly, the effectiveness of your BCPs can also be compromised. Here are some instructions to help enhance the effectiveness of your BCPs in those situations:

* If you are less than 12 hours late for your pill, take it. You may wish to consider using a condom for the next 7 days, if you are not already consistently using condoms for STI protection.
* If you forget 1 pill and 12 to 24 hours have elapsed since your last pill, take it as soon as you remember, then take your regular pill for that day at the same time you usually take it. Use condoms for the next 7 days.
* If you forgot 2 pills in a row in the first 2 weeks, take 2 pills, 6 hours apart, on the day you remember, and 2 pills, 6 hours apart, the next day. Take 1 pill per day until the pack is finished. Use condoms for at least 7 days.
* If you forget 2 pills in the 3rd week OR you miss 3 pills or more in a row at any time:

  Sunday Starters
  Keep taking a pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday throw away the unused portion of the pack and start a new pack. Use condoms for at least 7 days.

  First Day Starters
  Throw out the rest of the current pack and start a new pack the same day. Use condoms for at least 7 days.

*If you had intercourse without a condom during a time when you made a pill mistake, call Health Services to discuss whether you should consider emergency contraception. (aka morning after pill aka plan B)

*Remember that hormonal methods such as the pill DO NOT protect against Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) or Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) !!