You will not need additional contraception. Some medicines interact with the combined pill and it does not work properly. What are the benefits of contraception? intrauterine device (IUD) Mirena (intrauterine system or IUS) natural family planning. Will antibiotics stop my contraception working ? Where can I get emergency contraception (morning after pill, IUD)? How effective is contraception at preventing pregnancy? The pill may not be right for you if you: The pill may also not be right for you if you have (or have had): 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. You start taking the pill again after 7 days. Other methods of contraception are better at preventing pregnancy, such as the IUD, IUS, implant and injection. The standard way to take the pill is to take 1 every day for 21 days, then have a break for 7 days, and during this week you have a bleed like a period. If you cannot get the combined pill, you may be advised to use the progestogen-only pill or condoms for now. The once-daily pill contains hormones designed to … The combined pill can interact with medicines called enzyme inducers. Keep taking your pill as normal, but use additional contraception, such as condoms, while you have diarrhoea and for 2 days after recovering. Where you can get contraception and emergency contraception. Menu What if I've taken an extra pill by accident? When will my periods return after I stop taking the pill? Visit the NHS website for more information about the intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUD) . With 15 methods to choose from, you can find one that suits you best. There is special guidance if you have just had a baby, abortion or miscarriage. There are 21 active pills and 7 inactive (dummy) pills in a pack. Speak to a doctor or nurse about your options. When it comes to contraception there’s a wide variety of options to suit different needs and preferences. During the 7 days of taking the inactive pills, you will get a bleed. The risk would need to be serious, and they would usually discuss this with you first. There are two forms of emergency contraception; Emergency hormonal contraception (the morning after pill) Emergency intrauterine device (IUD). This method uses the same hormones that are in the combined contraceptive pill but, instead of taking a pill, you apply a patch to your skin once a week. Next review due: 1 July 2023, Methods that may help heavy or painful periods, Methods you need to think about every day, Methods you need to think about every time you have sex, Methods that protects against STIs (sexually transmitted infections). It can take longer to get contraception at the moment and some types are not widely available. Microgynon ED is an example of this type of pill. If you're viewing this page on a computer screen, use the blue tabs at the top of the page to see a full menu for each section of the contraception guide. Speak to a pharmacist, nurse or GP, or call NHS 111 or the national sexual health helpline free on 0300 123 7123, if you're unsure whether you're protected against pregnancy, or if your sickness or diarrhoea continues. The combined oral contraceptive pill is often just called "the pill". IUS (intrauterine system or hormonal coil), natural family planning (fertility awareness), Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare: advice for women seeking contraception during the COVID-19 epidemic, on the pill and you're sick or have diarrhoea, periods will come back after stopping the pill. If you need Depo Provera or Sayana Press There are many ongoing research projects into different methods of male contraception. The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so use a condom as well. When can I use contraception after a baby or while breastfeeding? Continue to take a pill at the same time each day until the pack is finished. About You. The 4 white film-coated tablets contain no active substances and … What if I'm on the pill and I'm sick or have diarrhoea? See your GP if you want to continue to use a specific type of pill that we don’t have. If you have heavy periods or painful periods, PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or endometriosis the combined pill may help. Will a pregnancy test work if I'm on the pill? Does the pill interact with other medicines? There may be a link between the pill and depression but evidence is mixed and further research is needed. The guidance may also be different if you have a short menstrual cycle. If you vomit within 3 hours of taking the combined pill, it may not have been fully absorbed into your bloodstream. If a blood clot develops, it could cause: The risk of getting a blood clot is very small, but your doctor will check if you have certain risk factors before prescribing the pill. If you start the pill more than 5 days after the miscarriage or abortion, you'll need to use additional contraception until you have taken the pill for 7 days. If not, you will need to use additional contraception (such as condoms) while taking the antibiotic and for a short time after. One pill is taken each day for 21 days and then no pills are taken for the next 7 days. 24 to 48 hours late) o Take missed pill as soon as remembered o Continue taking remainder of pack as usual o Emergency contraception (EC) if unprotected sex occurred is not usually required but may be considered if other pills have been missed Two or more pills … Contraception services are free and confidential, including for people under the age of 16. What if I've taken an extra pill by accident? When will my periods return after I stop taking the pill? "New generation" brands are used by less than a … Contraception Choices. Whatever questions you have about getting and using contraception, this guide can help. Find out where to get contraception and search by postcode to find: You can also find out where to get emergency contraception – the "morning after pill" or the IUD (coil). Contraception tries to stop this happening usually by keeping the egg and sperm apart or by stopping the release of an egg (ovulation). Natural family planning (fertility awareness). If sperm reaches an egg (ovum), pregnancy can happen. 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. Contraception is free on the NHS. Doctors and nurses work under strict guidelines when dealing with people under 16. If you continue to be sick, keep using another form of contraception until you've taken the pill again for 7 days without vomiting. How effective is emergency contraception? A GP or nurse may advise you to use an alternative or additional form of contraception while taking any of these medicines. One pill is taken each day for 21 days and then no pills are taken for the next 7 days. stopped smoking less than a year ago and are 35 or older, stroke or any other disease that narrows the arteries, anyone in your close family having a blood clot under the age of 45, a heart abnormality or heart disease, including high blood pressure, it usually makes your bleeds regular, lighter and less painful, it reduces your risk of cancer of the ovaries, womb and colon, it may protect against pelvic inflammatory disease, it may reduce the risk of fibroids, ovarian cysts and non-cancerous breast disease, it can cause temporary side effects at first, such as headaches, nausea, breast tenderness and mood swings – if these do not go after a few months, it may help to change to a different pill, breakthrough bleeding and spotting is common in the first few months of using the pill, it has been linked to an increased risk of some serious health conditions, such as blood clots and breast cancer, read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine, antiretroviral medicines used to treat HIV (research suggests that interactions between these medicines and the progestogen-only pill can affect the safety and effectiveness of both), some genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, sexual health clinics – they also offer contraceptive and STI testing services, some young people's services (call the Sexual Health Line on 0300 123 7123 for more information).