Many people ask us what they should do if they miss taking their contraceptive pill. Here’s an easy to follow graphic, to help you decide your best course of action if you have forgotten to take your pill.

Sources

References

Further reading on this topic from official health guidance and published research.

  1. What to do if you miss a combined pill or take an extra one

    NHS · HTML · NHS contraception guidance · Link destination checked 13 November 2026

  2. Emergency contraception

    NHS · HTML · NHS contraception guidance · Link destination checked 13 November 2026

  3. Progestogen-only pill

    NHS · HTML · NHS contraception guidance · Link destination checked 13 November 2026

Reference links open the cited source pages. If you spot something out of date, tell our content team.

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Hywel McGlinchy - Pharmacist and Medical Writer

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Hywel has been a registered pharmacist since 2017; he started with Simple Online Pharmacy in 2020. Hywel was responsible for helping review and author accurate site content. He worked with our GPs to make sure all aspects of the medications mentioned are covered.

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Karim Nassar, Co-Founder, Pharmacist & Author

Karim Nassar

Co-Founder, Pharmacist & Author

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Karim is a registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and was a founding member of Simple Online Healthcare in 2015. With a Master of Pharmacy degree from Strathclyde University, Karim brings a strong foundation in pharmaceutical care and a passion for leveraging digital solutions to improve patient access to healthcare.

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