Expert: Norman Solberg - 1/6/2009

Question
Hi!

I lost one of my birth control pills and so that day I just took the next days instead so I would not miss a day.  Then when the pack was up i waited an extra day to start the new pack (so i went 8 days with out a pill instead of the usual 7).  I did this so I could start on a Sunday.  There have also been a few days where I have taken the pill 5 hours later than usual.  How likely is it that I am pregnant?  I am really worried.

Answer
Hi Jess,
It's very unlikely that you're pregnant, but missing pills is what usually causes women on the pill to get pregnant.  The pill has a failure rate of around 5% per year in general use, but less than 1% when used exactly as directed (never missing).  I think 5 hours late is not a big deal, it's when you're a day late that pregnancy gets more likely.  In the future it might be better to take a pill from a spare pack, or else use a backup method for a week if you go more than 7 days between active pills.  That said, it's still very unlikely that you're pregnant.