If taken correctly the pill is 99% effective at protecting against pregnancy.
After they've checked that you are OK to take the contraceptive pill, the doctors and nurses at FRESH will issue you with the best pill for you and give it to you there and then (saving you a trip to the chemist!). Whilst you are on the pill, you will be asked to come back for regular check-ups to make sure everything is OK and you'll be able to pick up your next few months supply of the pill at the same time. There are two types of the pill and the doctors or nurses at FRESH will be able to tell you which one is best for you.
The combined pill is the type used by most women. It contains 2 hormones, oestrogen and progestogen.
It stops a woman from releasing an egg each month and usually makes your bleeds lighter, regular and less painful. It's taken once a day and therefore it doesn't interfere with sex.
The most common type of combined pill contains 21 pills in a pack, all of which contain the same dose of hormones. The pills are taken, one a day, followed by a 7-day break (most women usually have a bleed during the 7 day break).
If you think you might forget which days you are supposed to be taking your pill on and which days you are supposed to be having a break, you could ask the doctor or nurse about the Every Day (ED) combined pill. Each pack has 28 pills, 21 are active pills and 7 are dummy (inactive) pills which contain no hormones (bleeding usually occurs while the 7 dummy pills are being taken).
The combined pill isn't suitable for everyone so the doctor or nurse will take details of your full medical history when you first come to the FRESH clinic to check that you are OK to take it.
Some women experience side-effects when they first start taking the pill, but these are usually minor and generally they disappear after a few months.
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Many women taking the combined pill like the fact that they know they are about to come on their period (no surprises!) |
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The combined pill also has important health benefits, for example, it can offer some protection against cancer of the ovary and womb. |
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Headaches, sore breasts, bleeding between periods. |
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For a very few women, the side-effects may be more serious, such as thrombosis (blood clots in a vein). |
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Other side effects are listed in the patient information leaflet which is provided with each packet of pills. If you're worried, talk to the doctor or nurse at the FRESH clinic. |
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Antibiotics and some other medicines like St Johns Wort can affect the combined pill and stop it from working, so you may have to use extra protection (condoms) while you are on the medicine and for 7 days afterwards. You can ask your pharmacist or doctor if your pill will be affected. |
(The mini-pill) contains only one female hormone, progestogen.
It works by thickening the mucus in the neck of the womb, making it difficult for sperm to move through it. It also changes the lining of the womb so that it will not accept a fertilised egg. In some women it also prevents an egg being released each month. One pill is taken every day until all the pills in the pack are finished. A new pack is then started the next day. This means taking pills everyday there is no break between packs. It's really important that you take the progestogen-only pill at the same time every day.
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Often periods are lighter, shorter and less painful than usual |
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With the progestogen-only pill, periods may be irregular with some bleeding between periods, especially for the first few months, some women have no bleeding at all. Other side-effects are rarer but are listed in the patient information leaflet provided with each pill. |
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