If one combination birth-control pill is missed but the person resumes taking pills within 24 hours, the flow of hormones is not disrupted and there should be no increased risk of pregnancy.
Notes on verification
Confirmed by CDC's official contraceptive guidance and corroborated by multiple clinical sources (Cornell Health, Cleveland Clinic, UK FSRH/patient.info), all converging on the same clinical consensus despite minor phrasing variation regarding the exact safe window.
Sources
- Miss a Birth Control Pill? Side Effects, What to Do - WebMD (webmd.com)
- https://www.cdc.gov/contraception/media/pdfs/2024/07/recommended-action-late-missed-contraception-508.pdf (cdc.gov)
- https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/pdf-library/missed-birth-control-pill.pdf (health.cornell.edu)
- https://www.heyjane.com/articles/what-to-do-when-you-miss-a-birth-control-pill (heyjane.com)
- https://www.cdc.gov/contraception/hcp/usspr/combined-hormonal-contraceptives.html (cdc.gov)
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-when-you-skip-a-birth-control-pill (health.clevelandclinic.org)
- https://patient.info/doctor/fertility/missed-contraceptive-pills (patient.info)