What if I forget to change the patch?
At the start of any patch cycle: Week 1 (Day 1):
If you forget to apply your patch, you may become pregnant—you must use non-hormonal back-up birth control such as a condom, spermicide or diaphragm for one week. Apply the first patch of your new cycle as soon as you remember. You now have a new “Patch Change Day” and Day 1.
You must use back-up contraception for the first week of your new cycle. You should never have a patch off for more than seven days.
In the middle of patch your cycle: Week 2 or Week 3:
If you forget to change your patch for one or two days, remove the patch as soon as you remember and apply a new patch. Apply your next patch on your normal “Patch Change Day". No back-up contraception is needed.
During week two or week three, if you forget to change your patch for more than two days, you could become pregnant. Start a new four-week cycle as soon as you remember by removing the old patch and applying a new patch. You now have a different “Patch change day” and new Day 1. You must use non-hormonal back up contraception, such as a condom, spermicide or diaphragm for the first week of your new cycle. You should never have a patch off for more than seven days.
At the end of your patch cycle: Week 4:
If you forget to remove your patch, take it off as soon as you remember. Start your next cycle on your normal “Patch Change Day,” the day after Day 28. No back-up contraception is needed.
At the start of your next patch cycle, Day 1( week 1):
If you forget to apply your patch, you could become pregnant. Apply the first patch of your new cycle as soon as you remember. You now have a new “Patch Change Day” and a new Day 1. You must use back-up contraception for the first week of your new cycle.
You should never have a birth control patch off for more than seven days.
Tell a friend about "The Birth Control Patch"
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