Contraceptive Pill

Oral contraception, also known as ‘the pill’ is a tablet taken by women to prevent pregnancy. There are many different types of the pill, which use synthetic hormones, such as oestrogen and progesterone to prevent pregnancy. This can be in 1 of 3 ways:

They stop ovulation, so an egg is not released from the ovaries.
They thicken a woman’s cervical mucus, making it harder for the sperm to reach the egg.
They make a woman's womb inhospitable to stop a fertilised egg from attaching to the lining of the uterus.

Side effects of oral contraception

Side effects can often occur with oral contraception, but most of the time these effects are mild and go away with continued use of the pill. Common side effects include:

• Nausea
• Weight gain
• Sore, swollen breasts
• Spotting between periods

With more severe side effects, you should stop taking the pill and consult your doctor. These include:

• Abdominal pain
• Severe headaches
• Blurry vision
• Swelling or aching in the legs

Choosing the best contraceptive pill

Oral contraception is prescribed by your doctor. Deciding on which contraceptive pill you should take should be a joint decision between you and your doctor. You should disclose your full medical history to ensure that you get a suitable pill. Different contraceptive pills are suitable for different situations, so you should never start taking a contraceptive pill without the advice of your doctor.

Contraceptive pill general information

Oral contraceptive pills are normally taken once daily at the same time each day. For the pill to have maximum effect, it must be taken at the same time each day. This is particularly important for certain contraceptive pills, which must be taken in a 3 hour window for them to be effective at all.

Most contraceptive pills involve a 21 day period of taking the pill, followed by a 7 day break. Whereas others are taken continuously.

You should never take a contraceptive pill that has not been prescribed for you by your doctor, and you must have a pill review at least once a year, which includes a blood pressure test.

Here at Ashcroft Pharmacy, we are able to supply repeat oral contraception to women that have had the same contraception previously prescribed for them.

Types of oral contraception

There are 5 types of oral contraception:

1. Monophasic 21-day contraceptive pills - They contain oestrogen and progesterone. They are taken for 21 days followed by a 7 day break, then the cycle starts again.
2. Monophasic 28-day preparations - They contain oestrogen and progesterone. They are taken continuously. The first 21 days will be an ‘active’ pill, and the last 7 days are ‘inactive’ pills. You will take tablets for 28 days, then you should start a new pack for another 28 days.
3. Phasic 21 day preparations - They contain oestrogen and progesterone. They are taken for 21 days followed by a 7 day break, then the cycle starts again. These contain different levels of each hormone depending on which day's pill you are taking.
4. Phasic 28-day preparations - They contain oestrogen and progesterone. They are taken continuously. The first 21 days will be an ‘active’ pill, and the last 7 days are ‘inactive’ pills. You will take tablets for 28 days, then you should start a new pack for another 28 days.These contain different levels of each hormone depending on which day's pill you are taking.
5. Progesterone-only pill - They contain progesterone only. These pills must be taken continuously everyday at the same time within a 3 hour window each day. Each pack contains 28 tablets, and each new pack should be taken back to back.

Alternative medication

There are many different types of contraception available other than the contraceptive pill. These include:

• The implant
• A progesterone only injection
• Contraceptive patches
• Inter-uterine Devices (IUD)
• Vaginal rings
• Condoms
• Dams
• Caps