When should a patient know to refill their birth control prescription?

The most appropriate time for a patient to know to refill their birth control prescription is when they are taking placebo pills. In a typical oral contraceptive regimen, there are usually 21 active pills followed by a week of placebo pills. This week of placebo pills generally serves as a reminder for the patient that they should refill their prescription, as their active pills will run out after completing the cycle.

At this point, patients have used the active pills and are entering a break with placebo pills, which correlates with the end of their current supply and signals that it is time to get a refill to ensure they have a continuous supply of their contraceptive medication.

While it may seem intuitive to refill when pills run out or after missing a dose, these scenarios may lead to gaps in contraceptive coverage. Therefore, tracking the refill at the onset of placebo pills is the best proactive strategy for maintaining consistent usage of birth control.