Every day, millions of women rely on birth control. While each woman has their own reason or method, when it comes to the pill one thing all women have in common is timing.
Failing to take the pill at the same time every day can cause many complications. So, when the sudden panic and realisation hits that a pill has been missed, here is a step-by-step guide on what to do.
Calming troubled minds is Abdul Sharief, Director of Allied Pharmacies.
“Realising you have missed a pill can be a stressful situation.
What to do next entirely depends on: what type of combined pill you are taking, how many pills you have missed and what day or week you are up to in your pack.”
He continues “By ringing or visiting our pharmacy, you will be directed to the appropriate steps necessary for your situation.
If you have only missed one pill and it is within a 48-hour window, usually the advice given would be to take the pill you missed now.”
Perfectly taken, the pill is over 99% effective, however typical use drops the effectiveness to around 91%. Occasionally missed pills do not always result in unwanted pregnancy, but for around 8 in 100 women, it does.
One of the main purposes of the contraceptive pill is to prevent pregnancy. When contraception is taken, this makes it challenging for the sperm to reach the egg.
However, when contraception has not been taken, here is what Abdul Sharief suggests doing.
“If you recently had unprotected sex and missed your contraceptive pill, it is recommended you take emergency contraception.
This is a service we offer at Allied Pharmacies.”
Shedding light on the service details, Abdul says, “Our team of pharmacists will be there to guide you as well as provide necessary information and advice you need.
Available emergency contraception at our pharmacies is ellaOne and Levonelle.”
If you consume oral contraception, one of the concerns you may have, is, how it will affect your body. So, seeking advice from a medical professional, like a pharmacist at Allied Pharmacies, is a good point of call for answers to any queries you may have.
The Pharmacy Contraception Service is completely confidential and offers you a private consultation with a trusted pharmacist.
During the consultation, our pharmacists can answer your questions and provide you with appropriate support based on your current health.
“Our team of experts can offer you a safe, discreet and trusting service.
If you wish to switch over to our pharmacy or start your oral contraceptive journey, our pharmacists will offer you a private consultation.”
Abdul additionally notes “They will assess your health and discuss the best pill with you, for you.
However the support does not stop here! Your pharmacist can also recommend ways to help you avoid missing the pill.”
There are numerous ways to remind yourself of an upcoming event, task or prompt you need. Thanks to technology, most of us have this at the tip of our fingers.
Here is a list of recommended solutions to avoid missing the pill:
If you need to speak to a pharmacist about the issues raised in this article, please contact your local Allied Pharmacy branch. A member of our team will be able to direct you to appropriate support, based on your situation.