Can I take my birth control pill 4 hours late?

If you’re taking progestin-only pills, the pill may be less effective if you take it more than three hours later than usual. If this happens, you should use a backup method of birth control, like a latex or internal condom for the next 48 hours (two days).

What if I take my birth control 5 hours late?

First, the short answer: If you miss a pill, you should take the pill you missed as soon as you can. If you take the pill less than 24 hours after you were supposed to and it’s not the first week of a new pack, you don’t need a back-up method—just take the pill you missed and relax.

How many hours late is a missed pill?

Your uterus won’t get “backed up”. A combination pill is “missed” if you do not take it for 24 or more hours after you were supposed to. In other words, you’ve only technically missed a pill, if it’s been more than 48 hours since your last active pill.

What to do if you take birth control 2 hours late?

If this happens, you should use a backup method of birth control, like a condom, for the next 2 days. (For example, if you’ve been taking your pill at noon, but you forget to take it until after 3:00 p.m., you should take it as soon as you remember.) Continue to take the rest of the pack on schedule.

Can a pill be taken 2 hours late?

Yes, if you take your pill 2 hours late it’s still effective. Most people use combined-hormone pills. They contain both estrogen and progestin. They must be taken once a day, but they don’t need to be taken at the same time every day.

When to take the next birth control pill?

But, if you are using progestin-only pills and if you have missed to take one for more than three hours, then you should take it as soon as you remember. Also, you should take the next pill at the time when you usually take it. A condom or some other back-up method will be needed in the next 48 hours.

When to take late or missed oral contraceptives?

Recommended Actions After Late or Missed Combined Oral Contraceptives Recommended Actions After Late or Missed Combined Oral Contraceptives If one hormonal pill is late: (<24 hours since a pill should have been taken) If one hormonal pill has been missed: (24 to <48 hours since a pill should have been taken)