What happens if a toddler swallows a birth control pill?
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The bottom line
Children who swallow birth control pills are not at risk of poisoning. This is true for boys as well as girls. Children who swallow birth control hormones might rarely have an upset stomach, diarrhea, or irritability, but no long-term effects.
Prevention tips
Lock up birth control pills, like all medicines, out of sight and reach of children.
Always take birth control pills at the same time each day.
This really happened
Case 1. A 2-year-old girl ate 2 of her mother's birth control pills. Her mother called her poison center and was reassured that no problem was expected. The following day Poison Control placed a follow-up call, and the girl’s mother reported that the girl had no bad effects.
Case 2. A 3-year-old boy ate 2 of his mother’s birth control pills late one evening. Poison Control determined that no bad effects would be expected other than possible mild stomach upset. The boy vomited once early the following morning but was fine after that.
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What are birth control pills? How do they work?
The most commonly used type of birth control pills is called combination oral contraceptives (COCs). They contain 2 hormone ingredients—an estrogen-like drug and a progesterone-like drug (a progestin). The estrogen regulates menstruation, and the progestin prevents pregnancy by stopping ovulation.
About 14% of COC users take COCs for reasons other than or in addition to preventing pregnancy, such as irregular menstrual bleeding, menstrual pain, uterine fibroids, endometriosis pain, menstruation-associated migraine headaches, and acne. It is also sometimes used in women to manage the disruptive symptoms of perimenopause and may serve as a bridge to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause.
Are birth control pills dangerous for children?
No. A child who swallows birth control pills is very unlikely to be harmed. There are no long-term effects and few, if any, short-term effects. This is true whether the child is a girl or a boy. Boys have the same hormones as girls, just in different amounts, and a one-time dose does not change that.
Poison centers received almost 1,600 calls in 2023 about young children who swallowed birth control pills. Most callers are surprised to learn there is nothing to worry about.
Two things work in your favor. First, since birth control pills were introduced in the 1960s, the amount of estrogen and progestin in each tablet has been steadily reduced. Studies found that lower doses are just as effective at preventing pregnancy, making the higher doses used in the original pills unnecessary. Second, the pills come in blister packs that require punching out one tablet at a time. That takes coordination most toddlers do not have, which limits how many tablets a child can get to, or prevents access altogether.
My child swallowed a birth control pill. What should I do?
If a child swallows birth control pills, use the webPOISONCONTROL® online tool to get help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day. Have the package with you. You will be asked for the exact brand name of the medicine and how many pills are missing. Treatment is unlikely to be needed, and you will be told if there is anything at all you need to do.
What symptoms might occur if a toddler swallows birth control pills?
Short-term effects are minor. Some children will have stomach upset. A few children might have some diarrhea or irritability. These symptoms go away without treatment. At one time, it was thought that girls might have slight vaginal bleeding a few days after swallowing birth control pills. The origin of this idea is unclear. If it happened, it was more than 50 years ago, when the amounts of hormones in COCs were much higher than today.