The combined pill

The Combined Contraceptive Pill is often just called 'The Pill'. There are lots of different types and you might have to try one or two before you find the right one for you.

The Combined Pill contains two types of hormone called oestrogen and progestogen. It will come in a packet of small tablets. There are 27 different types of combined pill available. All of them are designed to stop you getting pregnant and some of them might reduce spotty skin, or help with painful or irregular periods as well. No pill will protect you against sexually transmitted infections, though, so you might want to use condoms too.

The other type of contraceptive pill you can get is the Progestogen Only Pill (POP). That doesn't have oestrogen in it. Click here if you want more information on the POP.

Spend a bit of time looking here and finding out more about the Combined Pill and if you have any questions, call Ask Brook on 0808 802 1234. Your call will be confidential. That means we won't tell anyone about it.

How does the Combined Pill work?
How do you use the Combined Pill?
Good things about the Combined Pill
What should I watch out for with the Combined Pill
How effective is the Combined Pill?
What makes the Combined Pill less effective?
Who can use the Combined Pill?

How does the Combined Pill work?

The combined pill stops ovulation, which means a woman will not release an egg to be fertilised. It also thickens the mucus around the cervix, which makes it harder for sperm to get through, and makes the lining of the womb thinner so that a fertilised egg would not be able to implant.

How do you take the Combined Pill?

You take one pill every day for 21 days, until you finish one pack. Then you have a 7-day break. So you don't take any pills or take placebo (dummy) pills for a whole 7 days. You will be protected against pregnancy during this week.

You will probably get a bleed at some point during the 7 day break. This is not a proper period - it is called a 'withdrawal bleed' and it can start at any point during the 7-day break (e.g. on day 4 or 5). This bleeding is caused by you not taking hormones in the 7- day break.

You are not necessarily protected against pregnancy the first time you take a pill. If you want to make sure you are protected against pregnancy, you must follow the guidelines for starting the combined pill.

You can start the combined pill up to and including the 5th day of your period, and you'd be protected against pregnancy straight away. But, if your periods come every 23 days or less, you may not be protected so you should seek further advice or use condoms for the first 7 days.

If you start taking the pill at any other time in your menstrual cycle, it will take 7 days before it starts to work. So you'll need to use condoms for the first 7 days.

Good things about the Combined Pill

• Does not interrupt sex
• Can help reduce spotty skin on face and body
• Bleeding may be lighter and period pain or Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) or Pre-Menstrual Tension (PMT) is less likely.

What should I watch out for with the Combined Pill

• Does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• A very small number of women may develop a blood clot which can block a vein. If you have ever had a thrombosis, you should not use the pill.

How effective is the Combined Pill?

This pill is over 99% effective if it is taken properly. This means that less than 1 in every 100 women who use the combined pill will get pregnant each year. It is less effective if it is not taken according to the instructions.

What makes the Combined Pill less effective?

• Taking it more than 24 hours late
• Vomiting within two hours of taking it
• Very severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours
• Use of some prescription medicines including some antibiotics, medicines used to treat epilepsy, HIV and TB and the complementary medicine St John’s Wort

If you have missed a pill or think you may not be protected, click here for more information.

Who can use the Combined Pill?

The combined pill is not suitable for all women. A doctor or nurse will ask you questions about your own and your family's medical history, weigh you and take your blood pressure, just to check it will be suitable for you. If it is, they will probably prescribe you about 3 month's worth of pills to take home, and explain how to take them correctly.