If you take your birth control pill an hour late, it should still be effective, as long as you take it every day. However, if you are taking progestin-only pills, the pill may be less effective if you take it more than three hours later than usual. In this case, you should use a backup method of birth control, like a condom, for the next 48 hours (two days). If you are taking combination birth control pills, a pill that’s taken more than 24 hours after your last pill is considered late. If you are more than three hours late in taking your pill, you may have breakthrough bleeding, and effectiveness may decrease. Here are some general guidelines to follow if you miss a pill or take it late:

• Take the late or missed pill as soon as possible.
• Continue taking the remaining pills at the usual time (even if it means taking two pills on the same day).
• If you are taking progestin-only pills and you are more than three hours late, use a backup method of birth control, like a condom, for the next 48 hours (two days).
• If you are taking combination birth control pills and you miss a pill, take the missed pill as soon as you remember and take the next pill at the usual time. If you miss two pills in a row, take two pills as soon as you remember and two pills the next day. Use a backup method of birth control, like a condom, for the next seven days.
• If you are still not sure what to do, continue to take one pill each day and use a backup method of birth control, like a condom, or abstain from sexual behaviors that may put you at risk for pregnancy until you have successfully taken a pill a day for seven consecutive days.

Remembering to take your birth control pill every day at the same time can be challenging, but it is essential if you want to maintain consistent contraceptive protection. If you frequently take your pills off-schedule, consider calling your healthcare provider to speak with a nurse or schedule an appointment to talk with one of their clinicians about finding a more convenient, effective method of birth control for you.