What If you miss three birth control pills?

If you miss three birth control pills, you may have some bleeding (as if it's the end of your pack) and the timing of your next period may be off. If that's the case, take a pregnancy test no sooner than 10 days after the last intercourse. Follow the directions that match your pill type: If you're on a combination pill with 30 or 35 mcg of estrogen

• If you missed three or more active pills, or started the pack three days late, or had sex before you had taken seven pills during your very first pack, be sure to take additional steps to prevent pregnancy. Use the morning after pill if you already had sex. Use condoms or abstain from vaginal sex until you've taken the pill correctly for seven days in a row (after levonorgestrel) or fourteen days in a row (after ulipristal). If you're in the last week (days 15-21) of active pills, don't skip a week (Days 22-28 or use inactive pills), go straight to the new pill packet - again 7 pills in 7 days after Plan B or Next Choice, and 14 pills in 14 days after ella.

If you're on a combination pill with 20 mcg of estrogen or less

• If you missed two or more active pills, or started the pack two days late, or had sex before you had taken seven pills during your very first pack, be sure to take additional steps to prevent pregnancy. Use the morning after pill if you already had sex. Use condoms or abstain from vaginal sex until you've taken the pill correctly for seven days in a row (if you took levnorgestrel emergency contraception) or fourteen days in a row (if you took ulipristal). If you're in the last week (days 15-21) of active pills, don't skip a week (Days 22-28 or use inactive pills), go straight to the new pill packet - again 7 pills in 7 days after levonorgestrel, or 14 pills in 14 days after ulipristal.

If you're on the progesterone-only pill

• Consider using the morning after pill if you're late with your pill by more than three hours. Use a backup method until you've taken two pills in two days (after levonorgestrel) or 14 pills in 14 days (if you took ulipristal for emergency contraception).