When you miss a birth control pill...?

I just had a question regarding missing birth control pills. I've been doing some reading on the internet, and I've read that if you miss two consecutive pills you're more at risk. Now if you miss two pills in the same week but a few days apart, and you take the pills that you missed the next day, are you protected? What if you miss those pills in week one?

If you miss two pills in a row, the hormones in your body drop more than if you missed one pill, took some pills and then missed one again. Birth control does not convince your body that it is pregnant but, convinces your body that you have already ovulated and you don't need to ovulate again this month. If you don't take your pills your body might 'think' "it's time to ovulated" thus compromising your protection.

If you are having trouble remembering to take the pill, set a cell phone or watch alarm to go off at the same time everyday, use back up contraception until you get into the habit or talk to your doctor about switching methods of contraception. Consider the ortho evra patch, the nuva ring, an iud or the depo-provera shot.

use a rubber until you are back on it regularly, it a pain but safe
You have to take them regularly. Birth control pills basically "convince" your body that you're already pregnant, so you can't conceive. But if your body gets confused because you miss doses, then you could get pregnant even if you miss two doses within the same month.

To completely prevent against pregnancy, you should be using some form of contraception in addition to your birth control pills (diaphragm, condom, etc.). I've had several friends who have gotten pregnant while "on the pill." And continuing to take birth control after you're pregnant (even if you don't know it yet) can harm the development of the fetus. It's just not worth the risk.
If you take the missed pills soon enough (i.e., the very next day), then you are protected.

If the pills you missed are too long ago (i.e., more than 2-3 days ago), you'll need to start a new pack PLUS use a condom (as tom mentioned) for at least 1 week after re-starting (but I would recommend using a condom throughout the whole first cycle).

The best thing to do when something like this occurs is to ask your pharmacist on what to do because the answer depends on the type of pills you're taking, how many pills you missed, and when you missed them.

Lastly, to completely prevent against pregnancy, is not to use another form of contraception in addition to the pills but to practice abstinence. Condoms are always a good idea even if you are on the pill since condoms help protect against STDs while birth control pills do not.