Question

A 21 year old patient calls the nurse practitioner because she has missed her last two doses of birth control. What does the nurse practitioner advise this patient to do?

a. Take two pills the next two days and use condoms
b. Resume taking the pill back as prescribed and use condoms
c. Stop taking the pill pack and restart a new one after menstration has begun and use condoms
d. Take two pills today and resume pill pack as prescribed and use condoms

Answer 1

The patient should take one missed pill as soon as possible, continue with the next pill at the regular time, use a backup method like condoms for the next 7 days, and consider emergency contraception if they had unprotected sex.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct advice for a patient who has missed two doses of birth control pills is to resume taking one pill as soon as they remember and then continue with the next pill at the regular scheduled time. This could mean taking two pills in one day. Additionally, the patient should use a backup method of contraception, such as condoms, for the next 7 days to prevent pregnancy. If the patient had unprotected sex during the time they missed their pills, they should consider using emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy. This can be taken as a single pill or in two doses, and for the best effectiveness, it should be taken within 72 hours after having unprotected sex.

It is important for the patient to read the specific instructions related to their prescribed birth control pills, as different brands or types might have specific guidelines for missed doses. It is also highly recommended that the patient contacts their healthcare provider for personalized advice.