Student Health Services
Patient Information
Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill Advice
Missed Pills
Take your pill at the same time every day.
If you are late taking a pill, take it as soon as you remember. So long as you take the pill within 24 hours of the
time it was due you do not need any extra precautions.
If you do not remember until the next pill is due, take both pills together.
If you are late taking the next pill, even if only one hour late, i.e 2 missed pills, you must either use condoms or
not have sex for the next 7 days. Continue taking the rest of the pack as normal.
If you miss more than one pill in the last week of your hormone pills, as well as using condoms you should
miss out your sugar pills and start your next pack of pills without a break, i.e. skip your period.
Emergency contraception is usually needed if you have unprotected sex i.e without a condom in the first week
of a pack of pills and;
You missed more than one pill in the last week of your previous pack and then took your sugar pills as
normal
Or
You are late starting your new pack of pills after your week of sugar pills
Or
You miss more than 2 hormone pills in the first week of your new pack
If you think you might need emergency contraception, please contact Student Health.
One of the nursing team will be able to help. When Student Health is closed you should go to Dunedin Urgent
Doctors or speak to a pharmacist.
Remember the emergency contraceptive pill is most effective in the first 24 hours but can be used up to 3 days
after unprotected sex.
If you don’t have a period with your next sugar pills make an appointment to see one of the nurses at Student
Health for a pregnancy test.
Developed by: Student Health Services (initials) Dr Jenny Ogilvy Date: 27 January 2010
If you require further information please make an appointment at Student Health, Ph 4798212