Can anyone help me? I'm curious to find out what my chances are of getting pregnant from forgetting (and then remembering about 15 hours later) to take one of my birth control pills. Anyone have a clue?

My husband and I are not currently trying to conceive, so I'm also interested in finding out how long do I have before getting back on schedule and not having to worry about a possible pregnancy.

Thank you!

Katie

I don't know how far into the pack you are, but if it is on or before mid-way, you may have to practise caution. If you are over half way, and near the end of your pill packet, then the risk is lower, but I would still advise caution. I am given to understand that you can take a pill anything up to 12 hours later, but anything over, you should just forget it, skip that pill and carry on to finish the pack as usual.
The bleed you will experience at the end of the pill packet is not a real period in itself, but an inter-pack bleed. You can carry on and take the first pill of the next pack, the day after you finish the current lot.
In this case, I would finish the pack, permit your bleed to occur then just begin your new pack.
You will be fine.

It was my fourth pill in the pack that I missed, so it was in the beginning. I wonder if I can just use extra precautions when I am to be ovulating - a couple days before and a couple afterwards? Isn't that how people doing things "naturally" do it?

If you've missed four pills in one pack, you'd better take precautions until you start your next pack. You could be fertile. If you miss one pill, on one day, you can take two the next day. If you miss more, take precautions. Try to take them the same time each day to build a habit, and to increase optimum strength of the pills. If you continue to miss pills, you may conceive whether you want to or not! Don't count on the pills' lingering hormones to protect you...I knew a gal who conceived her first month OFF the pill! It happens!

Cindy

Sorry, I didn't say that clearly. I've only missed one pill ever - in like 5 years - and it was the fourth pill in my new pack. I took it really late and then am back on my same schedule with taking them daily. That one just slipped my mind for some reason.

I've read up on some things online. One article said I need to be careful (use addt'l protection) for seven days after the missed pill and two said not to worry and that using addt'l protection is not necessary.

I was just curious if anyone else had a different take. The other factor that plays into the equation is that I had surgery almost three weeks ago and was on Vicodin, Penicillin and Etodolac (just another pain reliever). They informed me that my pill would be invalid for a month after the surgery. So you add that with the missed pill and that's my reason for concern.

Celibacy has a lot going for it! I am glad I don't have to worry about such things!!

Try not to worry. if you have been taking the pill for a long time, and have missed one just once, I think the odds are in your favour, now!

I have a bad memory, and tend to take pills late occasionally. I've used a few different pills over the years, and they all had the same recommendations in the paperwork: If you miss a single pill in the first or second week, take it as soon as you remember it, then take the next pill at the regular time, even if that means taking two pills at once. No additional protection is necessary. (I'd suggest looking at the paperwork that comes with the pills or calling your Dr. or pharmacist if you're unsure.)

I'm paranoid, and my reactions to pill errors show it. We keep a small box of condoms around to use as back up if I have taken even a single pill more than a few hours late. We generally use back up for seven days after significant pill timing errors.

Also, anti-biotics are notorious for cutting the effectiveness of the pill. We use back up protection for the entire length of any anti-biotic prescription and seven days afterwards. Just keep tabs on the expiration date of the condoms. They aren't a good back up plan if they're out of date!

I did check the paperwork from my next pack of pills and it said the same thing - if you only missed one, don't worry about using another form of BC. If you miss two, use another form for 7 days thereafter.

I was worried about the mixture of forgetting one pill and being on anti-biotics. I read an article online about how penicillin reduces the chances of BC working, but not to the point where you absolutely have to use another form of BC (I guess that's kind of a "take your chances" statement). So anyway, we didn't use anything additionally and nothing has happened so far!

Firstly you can never know when you are going to ovulate.

If you don't want to get pregnant, I would use condoms with spermicide for the entire month but thats just me, I am ultra careful.

I remember when I was married, when I took antibiotics or missed a pill, I would break out the condoms.