Different types and brands of contraceptive pill contain different types and doses of synthetic oestrogen and progesterone. But brand names such as Microgynon, Levlen, Yaz, Brenda and Norimin give little indication of the ingredients, dose or who should use them. When looking for the right pill, women want to weigh up the cost, safety, efficacy and side effects of the pill.
Some women might also be seeking non-contraceptive benefits, such as treatment for acne, pre-menstrual syndrome, heavy or painful periods, endometriosis, or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Read more: Explainer: what are the options for birth control? The newer and more expensive pills claim to be superior in reducing acne , PMS or menstrual bleeding , which is why they end up being prescribed.
But all contraceptive pills have these advantages, and the evidence for supporting one over the other is limited or conflicting. Healthy women often take the pill for many years, so its safety profile needs to be excellent. The risk of breast cancer is slightly increased while on the pill, resulting in an extra 1.
But the pill actually protects against endometrial and ovarian cancer. Read more: Don't panic about the pill — it's safer than driving to work.
The higher the oestrogen dose, the higher the risk of VTE, which is why pills with 50 micrograms of oestrogen Microgynon 50 and Norinyl-1 are very rarely prescribed. Pills with newer generation progesterones potentially double the risk of venous thromboembolism. The pill also thickens the mucus around the cervix and affects the lining of the uterus. Thus, getting pregnant while on combination pill is near impossible, as long as you take it as indicated on the package.
The advantages of taking a contraceptive pill go way beyond pregnancy control. Combination pills can also:. While there are many pharmaceutical industries that manufacture contraceptive pills, the primate on the market is held by German company Bayer AG with its two flagship products Yasmin and Microgynon.
Both are combination pills, but slight differences in their composition can make one more suitable for you than another. The Yasmin pill is a combination of ethinylestradiol oestrogen and drospirenone progesterone developed to prevent ovulation during your menstrual cycle.
At the same time, the pill also thickens your cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the egg and changes the lining of the uterus to prevent attachment of a fertilised egg. Besides preventing pregnancy, the Yasmin Pill can also regularise your periods, decrease blood flow, reduce abdominal cramps associated with menstruation, and decrease the risk of ovarian cysts. Furthermore, due to the use of drospirenone, which is considered to be closer to the natural hormone progesterone, it is also a skin-friendly pill that can help treat hormonal acne.
Yasmin is not suitable for women with a medical history of high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases, as it carries a slightly higher risk of developing blood clots. The Yasmin pill comes in strips with 21 active pills. Take one pill a day, preferably around the same hour. Follow the instructions that come with your packet. If you have any questions, ask a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
It's important to take the pills as instructed, because missing pills or taking them at the same time as certain medicines may make them less effective. You can also take the combined pill as a tailored regime. This may include taking the pill for 21 days and stopping for 4, or taking the pill continuously without a break. For more information speak to a doctor or nurse. You can normally start taking the pill at any point in your menstrual cycle. There is special guidance if you have just had a baby, abortion or miscarriage.
The guidance may also be different if you have a short menstrual cycle. Get advice from a doctor or nurse if you need it. You may need to use additional contraception during your 1st days on the pill — this depends on when in your menstrual cycle you start taking it. If you start the combined pill on the 1st day of your period day 1 of your menstrual cycle you will be protected from pregnancy straight away.
You will not need additional contraception. If you start the pill on the 5th day of your period or before, you will still be protected from pregnancy straight away. You will not be protected from pregnancy straight away and will need additional contraception until you have taken the pill for 7 days. If you start the pill after the 5th day of your cycle, make sure you have not put yourself at risk of pregnancy since your last period.
If you're worried you're pregnant when you start the pill, take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the last time you had unprotected sex. If you miss a pill or pills, or you start a pack late, this can make the pill less effective at preventing pregnancy. The chance of getting pregnant after missing a pill or pills depends on:. Find out what to do if you miss a combined pill. If you vomit within 3 hours of taking the combined pill, it may not have been fully absorbed into your bloodstream.
Take another pill straight away and the next pill at your usual time. If you continue to be sick, keep using another form of contraception until you've taken the pill again for 7 days without vomiting. Very severe diarrhoea 6 to 8 watery poos in 24 hours may also mean that the pill does not work properly. Keep taking your pill as normal, but use additional contraception, such as condoms, while you have diarrhoea and for 2 days after recovering.
Speak to a GP or nurse or call NHS for more information, if your sickness or diarrhoea continues. If there are no medical reasons why you cannot take the pill, and you do not smoke, you can take the pill until your menopause. However, the pill is not suitable for everyone. To find out whether the pill is right for you, talk to a GP, nurse or pharmacist.
If you have just had a baby and are not breastfeeding, you can most likely start the pill on day 21 after the birth but you will need to check with a doctor. While we know it can be confusing the best place to help you remember is your pill box. If you look at the Levest pill box you can see the drug and the dose on the front of the box.
Understanding hormones Combined oral contraceptive COC pills contain oestrogen and progestogen while progestogen only pills POP as suggested in the name only contain progestogen.
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