Accidentally Took Active Birth Control Pill Instead Of Placebo

Thanks for reaching out! Most birth control pill products contain what is known as a "hormone-free" interval, ranging from 4 to 7 days. Once you finish your active pills, you begin taking the "inactive" or "placebo" pills, which contain no hormones and will bring on menses (i.e. your period).

Fortunately, if you accidentally take a hormone-containing pill rather than a placebo pill, there is no cause to worry. Continue taking your pills as directed at the same time every day. In your case, simply continue with the placebo pills (even though you accidentally took the wrong pill). You will then still start your next pack on your usually scheduled day.

You Are Still Protected From Pregnancy

Taking a hormone-containing pill on accident will not affect the efficacy of your birth control pills and you will still be protected from pregnancy. You may notice a slight increase in irregular bleeding during your period and during the first week of your next pack, but it shouldn't be substantial.

More concerning is the extra dose you took in regard to having a full number of pills for your next cycle.

If the active pill you accidentally took came from your next pack, you now have one less active, hormone-containing pill. To avoid missing a dose in the future, you should check with your pharmacy to see if they are able to fill a replacement pack for you. Replacement packs can be handy if you ever miss doses or lose pills in the future.

The important takeaway is that you don't miss a day when you are scheduled to take a hormone-containing pill. As long as you don't do this, you should be at no higher risk of pregnancy.

What To Do If You Can't Get A Replacement Pill

If you can't get a replacement pack, and you are going to be one pill short on your next pack, the most important thing is to start your next pack or normal. Start on your usual day.

You likely can get a refill a little early from your pharmacy near the end of your pack. If that is not possible, and you need to miss a dose at the end of your next pack, you are likely still protected from pregnancy (if you are taking a combine-hormone pill), you may just get your period a little earlier than usual. Most sources say one missed dose is unlikely to affect contraceptive ability significantly. If you are still concerned, you can use backup contraception for 7 days after your last dose.

Final Words

Thanks for reaching out! I hope this helped!