Taking Mircette®

What if you miss a pill?
If you miss a white pill:

If you miss 1 white pill, take your pill as soon as you remember and take the next pill at your regular time. This may mean you will need to take 2 pills in 1 day. You do not need to use a back-up birth control method if you have sex.


If you miss 2 white pills in a row during the first or second week of your pack, take 2 pills the day that you remember and 2 pills the next day. After that, go back to taking 1 pill a day until you finish the pack. You may become pregnant if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss 2 or more white pills. During this time you must use another birth control method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) as a back-up method
for those 7 days.

If you miss 2 white pills in a row during the third week:

  • – If you are a Day 1 Starter:
       THROW OUT the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that
       same day

  • – If you are a Sunday Starter:
       Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday.
       On Sunday, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and start a new    pack of pills that same day

You may not have your period this month but this is expected. However, if you miss your period 2 months in a row, call your doctor or healthcare provider because you might be pregnant. You may become pregnant if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. During this time you must use another birth control method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) as a back-up method for those 7 days.

If you miss 3 or more white pills in a row ( during the first 3 weeks):

  • – If you are a Day 1 Starter:
       THROW OUT the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that
       same day

  • – If you are a Sunday Starter:
       Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday.
       On Sunday, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and start a new    pack of pills that same day

You may not have your period this month but this is expected. However, if you miss your period 2 months in a row, call your doctor or healthcare provider because you might be pregnant. You may become pregnant if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. During this time you must use another birth control method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) as a back-up method for those 7 days.

If you miss a green or yellow pill:
If you miss any of the 2 green or 5 yellow pills during the fourth week throw away the pills you missed. Keep taking 1 pill each day until the pack is empty. You do not need to use a back-up birth control method.

Receve up to 10 dollars off your next two Mircette®* refills when you sign up for a membership with ClubCette™.

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* = Offer valid on a Mircette® prescription of generic equivalent.

Mircette® is greater or equal99% effective when taken properly. If you are a Sunday start patient, it is necessary to use another method of birth control as a back-up method if you have sex anytime from the Sunday you start your first pack until the next Sunday (7 days). Condoms, foam, or the sponge are good back-up methods of birth control.

This information is intended for patients

Important Safety Information

Each package contains 21 tablets of 0.15 mg desogestrel and 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol (EE), 2 placebo tablets, and 5 tablets of 10 mcg EE.

Mircette® tablets are indicated for the prevention of pregnancy.

Like other birth control pills, MircetteRegistered Trademark has serious risks, which can be life threatening. They include blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. Smoking increases these risks, especially if you are over 35, so Pill users should not smoke.

Some women should not take the Pill, including women who have blood clots, certain cancers, a history of heart attack or stroke, as well as those who could be pregnant. The Pill does not protect against HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Mircette® and Duramed® are registered trademarks of Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ClubCette™ is a trademark of Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Duramed is a subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The site is intended for residents of the United States only.