You know what they say: one a day keeps the baby away. But between classes, community service, internships, and social events, it can be difficult to keep track of when to take your birth control pill.
The pill works best if it is taken at the same time every day, and with certain pills, if you miss two days in a row, you’ll have to start a whole new pack. When you miss a few days and aren’t sure what to do, contact your gynecologist ASAP because it’s possible to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex — even if you only miss one pill. If you’re not ready to hear “Mama” anytime soon, you might want to download one of these birth control reminder apps to keep track of taking your birth control:
myPill
This free app is perfect for people who are visual learners. The app’s home screen imitates what a typical package of pills would look like. It’s easy to tell with just one look what day you’re on and how many days you have left in the pack. It also lets you write notes, keep track of your period (including your flow), and mark when you’ve had sex. The app notifies you when to buy a new pack, and it also reminds you to take the pill without requiring Internet access. If you prefer using the ring or patch, it can keep track of those methods as well. However, it is only accessible through an iPhone or iPad.
Don’t Forget The Pill
Sure, those noisy alarms get your attention, but if you’re in a work setting or studying in the library, then it can be very disruptive. This app, which costs 99 cents, uses push notifications to remind you to take the pill. Instead of getting an alarm, you’ll receive an alert similar to a text message. The only downside with this app is it doesn’t allow you to take notes, and it doesn’t keep track of your period. Don’t Forget The Pill is only compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
Pill Reminder
If you take the pill, use the patch, or have the ring, this app will remind you of it all. This 99-cent Android app includes a calendar with a daily reminder as well as time zone support. It can also be password protected to maintain your privacy if someone noisy gets a hold of your phone. Pill Reminder also has a snooze function that will send you reminders in specific time intervals making it nearly impossible to ignore or forget about.
Simplest Pill Reminder — for Girls
This 99-cent app is very user-friendly. The home screen shows pills and tells you what day each one should be taken on. The best thing about this app is if you can’t take the pill during a certain time, it will remind you up to 12 hours later. This app will serve as a constant reminder to take your pill even if you miss the first notification. The app works with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
Lady Pill Reminder
This is a good, free app for Android phones. Similar to myPill, the app shows visuals of the package marked with each date the pills need to be taken. You can adjust your calendar to work with your specific birth control depending on how many pills you have in your pack. The app provides daily reminders to take your birth control pills through notifications. A great feature within the app is the reminder automatically disables on days you don’t have to take the pill.
With all of these apps, your phone needs to be turned on for the reminder to work. Also, don’t forget that birth control pills only prevent unwanted pregnancy. The pill cannot protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, so always use a condom. If you’re still having trouble remembering to take your pills even after installing these apps, talk to your doctor about using a contraceptive ring or patch.
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