8 Tips to Remember Your Birth Control Pills

Did you know that with typical use, up to 90 out of 1,000 women will get pregnant on the pill. That’s 9%! Pills are very effective but can be challenging to remember to take at the same time daily. Here are a few tips our patients have shared:

• Place the pills at a location you come across at the same time daily. The nightstand, the medicine cabinet next to the sink, kitchen cabinet, dressing table are all areas that you likely encounter on your daily routine.

• Link taking the pill to a daily activity like eating dinner, watching TV, or putting on makeup. You could literally tape the pack to your remote control.

• Set an alarm with a distinct ring on your phone. Then set a backup alarm for 30 minutes later.

• Take it with your other medications.

• Label the pill pack to match the actual day you start. This makes it easier to track.

• Use a reminder app

• Switch to a chewable pill. No water necessary, just pop the pill, chew, and swallow.

• Ask us for an extra sample pack to carry around with you, in case you forget to take the pill before you leave the house. It’s FREE.

If all these fail and you still cannot remember to take the pills, consider switching to a different method of contraception.