Contraceptive pill: minipill
Remember: the Pill does NOT protect against sexually transmitted infections.
Article by : SpunOut.ie
The Pill does NOT protect against sexually transmitted infections. 1 in 5 young women forget to take the pill at least twice a month. Always use condoms as well as the pill to prevent STI's.
There are two main kinds of contraceptive pill (usually called the pill) that women can take: the combined pill and the progestogen only pill (minipill).
- To get the pill you need to go to your doctor for a prescription or to a health clinic.
- Remember: the pill may not work if you are vomiting, have severe diarrhoea or are using some types of medicine. In these cases always use another type of contraception (like condoms) as well.
- The minipill contains the hormone progestogen. You need to talk to your doctor about which type of pill is best for you. The minipill does not protect against STIs.
Advantages of the minipill:
- The minipill is 99% successful if you take it correctly.
- It is a good alternative if you can’t take oestrogen based pills such as the combined pill.
- You can take it while breastfeeding.
- It can help relieve period problems.
However:
- Irregular periods are common if you take the minipill.
- You can have temporary side effects such as acne (spots) or tender breasts.
- If you become pregnant while taking the minipill there is a small chance of ectopic pregnancy.
- You have to remember to take most brands of the minipill within three hours of the same time everyday.
How to take the minipill:
- You usually start taking the minipill on the first day of your period.You are protected against pregnancy from the first day of taking the pill.
- You take the minipill daily for 28 days per packet.
- There is no break on the minipill, you start a new packet the day after finishing a packet.
- You have to take most brands of the minipill within three hours of the same time everyday.
- You should not take the minipill if you are very overweight as this can limit its effectiveness. You can discuss this issue with your doctor.
What to do if you forget to take the minipill:
- Read the pack instructions carefully about what to do when you forget a pill.
- You should take most brands of the minipill at the same time every day, so forgetting to take it by more than three hours means you won't be protected against pregnancy.
- If you forget to take the pill at your normal time but remember to take it within three hours then you don’t need to worry or take extra precautions.
- If you forget to take the pill for more than three hours you need to take the forgotten pill right away, even if it means taking two at the same time.
- You also need to use extra protection, such as a condom for seven days after the forgotten pill.
- You must take a pill every day during this time. If the packet finishes before the seven days end, then you start a new packet without stopping for the normal seven day period.
- Usually you won’t have a period during this time. This is normal and doesn’t harm your body.
- If you have been vomiting within three hours of taking the pill, or taking other medication or have diarrhoea then you should use condoms and follow the same advice as for forgetting to take the pill.
- If you are still unsure what to do, seek advice from your pharmacist,family planning provider or doctor. While you are getting advice don't stop taking the pill and use an extra method of contraception.
Your Comments
There are no comments for this article yet, please leave one!
Login to leave a comment on this article
Login | Sign Up