What should a woman be advised to do if she misses two combined oral contraceptive pills (OCP) in a row?
OPTION 1 If the woman misses two pills in a row during the first two weeks of the pack, she should take two pills on the day that she remembers as well as two on the following day. She also requires a back-up method of contraception (condoms) for seven days after missing pills. OPTION 2 If two pills are missed in a row in the third week of the pack, the user should throw out the remainder of the pack and start a new pack immediately. She may not have a period that month. She also requires a back-up method of contraception (condoms) for seven days after missing two pills. All clinicians should offer women written instructions about what to do if they miss pills in as simplified a format as possible. Some companies provide tear-off sheets explaining this information in a clear and concise fashion. This information should be made available at the time of the woman’s first prescription. Counselling about emergency contraception and a prescription for emergency contraception are recommended
