Could I be pregnant if I missed a day of my birth control??

Hi SarahEliza,
I recently wrote an article about missed birth control. Hope it helps:
https://www.empowher.com/sexual-well-being/content/oops-missed-birth-control-pill-advocacy-sheet
If you regularly forget to take them, you may want to start taking them at a time you do the same thing every day, such as brushing your teeth, or just before bedtime. If that doesn't work, you may want to discuss with the doctor who gave you the pills about what birth control option may work better for you. Or you may want to start using a back up method regularly, like withdrawal, condoms, or spermicide to help guard against unwanted pregnancy. I know that may make it less fun, but consider the alternative. Surely, your partner can agree on that. You also don't need to be stressing yourself out when it can be remedied so easily with a little extra responsibility and diligence.
Good luck and let us know how you're doing.

Hi SarahEliza,
Unfortunately, there is a risk of pregnancy.

Birth control pills are only 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when you actually remember to take them! You must take them consistently and correctly every day. Some women forget to take them occasionally, and that is OK, but then they need to use back-up method of birth control for SEVEN days after the missed pill.

You sound like you have missed many pills; it counts as a "missed" pill when you do not take it on the day you are supposed to, even if you take it the next day. When you do this repeatedly and miss pills in-a-row, the pills are not effective. The pills work by having a consistent dose of the synthetic hormones in your body, to help prevent ovulation.

Please be sure to use condoms until you are able to use your birth control consistently and correctly...it an take up to 3-6 months for it to become a habit and "second nature". That is perfectly OK.

Re-read the instruction pamphlet that came with your prescription. If you miss 3 or more pills in-a-row, you need to throw away that pack, and start a new pack after your period begins.

Please know---it sounds like you have only been taking birth control pills for a week total, or are you just referring to this pack?

If you missed just one pill, and took that as soon as you remembered, AND have not missed any pills prior to that missed pill...and had sex that night and your boyfriend ejaculated, you would not have an increased chance of pregnancy. Missing ONE pill does not increase your chance. Missing one pill...multiple times, over the course of the pack...does increase your chance of pregnancy.

Does that all make sense?