The non-hormonal birth control pills (aka placebo pills, “sugar” pills, or reminder pills) in your pill pack are there to help you remember to take your pill every day and start your next pack on time. You’re totally protected from pregnancy while taking the placebo pills as long as you take your hormonal birth control pills on time every day.
Forgetting pills, losing your pack, and not refilling your prescription on time are the main reasons why you might get pregnant while using the pill. So it’s a good idea to plan ahead and think about the best way for you to use the pill correctly. For lots of people, taking those reminder pills really does help them stay on schedule. You can keep track of your pill schedule with our birth control app, Spot On.