How Long After Antibiotics Is the Pill Effective Again

The combined oral contraceptive pill is oftentimes just called "the pill". Information technology contains artificial versions of female hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which are produced naturally in the ovaries.

If sperm reaches an egg (ovum), pregnancy tin happen. Contraception tries to end this happening usually by keeping the egg and sperm apart or by stopping the release of an egg (ovulation).

At a glance: the combined pill

When taken correctly, the pill is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means that fewer than 1 in 100 who use the combined pill as contraception volition get pregnant in 1 yr.
The standard mode to accept the pill is to have 1 every day for 21 days, then have a pause for seven days, and during this week y'all accept a bleed like a period. Yous starting time taking the pill again after 7 days.
Yous may exist able to take some types of pill with no or shorter breaks (a tailored regime), which may reduce some side effects. Speak to a doctor or nurse almost your options.
Yous need to take the pill at effectually the aforementioned time every day. Yous could get pregnant if you practise not do this, or if you miss a pill, or vomit or accept severe diarrhoea.
Some medicines may make the pill less effective. Check with your dr. if you lot're taking whatsoever other tablets.
If you accept heavy periods or painful periods, PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or endometriosis the combined pill may assist.
Minor side effects include mood swings, nausea, breast tenderness and headaches – these unremarkably settle down in a few months.
At that place is no prove that the pill will make you gain weight.
There's a very low gamble of serious side effects, such equally blood clots and cervical cancer.
The combined pill is not suitable if you are over 35 and smoke, or if y'all have certain medical conditions.
The pill does not protect confronting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), then use a condom besides.
In that location may be a link between the pill and low only evidence is mixed and further inquiry is needed.

How the combined pill works

How information technology prevents pregnancy

The pill prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg each month (ovulation). Information technology too:

thickens the fungus in the neck of the womb, so it is harder for sperm to penetrate the womb and reach an egg
thins the lining of the womb, and so there is less hazard of a fertilised egg implanting into the womb and being able to grow

The pill is over 99% effective if used correctly. Other methods of contraception are better at preventing pregnancy, such as the IUD, IUS, implant and injection.

There are many dissimilar brands of pill, made up of 3 main types:

Monophasic 21-solar day pills

This is the near mutual type. Each pill has the same amount of hormone in information technology. One pill is taken each day for 21 days and and so no pills are taken for the side by side 7 days. Microgynon, Marvelon and Yasmin are examples of this blazon of pill.

Phasic 21-twenty-four hours pills

Phasic pills comprise 2 or 3 sections of different coloured pills in a pack. Each department contains a different amount of hormones. One pill is taken each day for 21 days then no pills are taken for the adjacent seven days. Phasic pills demand to be taken in the correct order. Logynon is an example of this type of pill.

Every twenty-four hours (ED) pills

There are 21 active pills and 7 inactive (dummy) pills in a pack. The 2 types of pill look dissimilar. One pill is taken each twenty-four hour period for 28 days with no break between packets of pills. Every day pills demand to exist taken in the right lodge. Microgynon ED is an example of this type of pill.

Follow the instructions that come with your bundle. If y'all accept any questions, ask a doc, nurse or pharmacist.

Information technology's important to take the pills as instructed, considering missing pills or taking them at the same time equally certain medicines may make them less effective.

How to accept 21-24-hour interval pills - standard regime

Take your 1st pill from the bundle marked with the correct day of the week, or the 1st pill of the 1st colour (phasic pills).
Continue to take a pill at the same time each day until the pack is finished.
Stop taking pills for 7 days (during these 7 days you will get a bleed).
Start your adjacent pack of pills on the 8th day, whether you are nonetheless bleeding or not. This should be the same day of the week as when you took your 1st pill.

How to take every day pills

Take the 1st pill from the section of the packet marked "starting time". This will be an active pill.
Continue to accept a pill every day, in the correct order and preferably at the same time each twenty-four hours, until the pack is finished (28 days).
During the 7 days of taking the inactive pills, you lot will get a bleed.
Start your next pack of pills after you have finished the 1st pack, whether you lot are yet bleeding or not.

Tailored regimes

You lot can also have the combined pill every bit a tailored authorities. This may include taking the pill for 21 days and stopping for four, or taking the pill continuously without a suspension. For more information speak to a physician or nurse.

Starting the combined pill

You tin can ordinarily start taking the pill at any indicate in your menstrual cycle. There is special guidance if you accept merely had a babe, abortion or miscarriage. The guidance may also exist different if you have a brusk menstrual cycle. Get communication from a doctor or nurse if you demand information technology. You may need to use additional contraception during your 1st days on the pill – this depends on when in your menstrual cycle yous showtime taking it.

Starting on the 1st day of your period

If you start the combined pill on the 1st day of your menstruum (day 1 of your menstrual cycle) you lot volition be protected from pregnancy direct away. You will not need additional contraception.

Starting on the fifth day of your cycle or before

If y'all commencement the pill on the fifth 24-hour interval of your flow or earlier, you volition yet be protected from pregnancy straight away.

Starting after the fifth mean solar day of your cycle

You will not be protected from pregnancy straight away and will need additional contraception until you have taken the pill for vii days.

If you start the pill after the 5th day of your cycle, make certain you have non put yourself at risk of pregnancy since your last period. If you're worried you lot're significant when you lot commencement the pill, take a pregnancy exam 3 weeks subsequently the concluding time you had unprotected sex.

What to do if y'all miss a pill

If you miss a pill or pills, or you lot starting time a pack late, this can make the pill less effective at preventing pregnancy. The run a risk of getting pregnant after missing a pill or pills depends on:

when the pills are missed
how many pills are missed

Notice out what to do if yous miss a combined pill.

Vomiting and diarrhoea

If you vomit within 3 hours of taking the combined pill, information technology may not take been fully absorbed into your bloodstream. Have another pill straight away and the adjacent pill at your usual time.

If y'all continue to be sick, keep using another form of contraception until yous've taken the pill again for 7 days without vomiting.

Very severe diarrhoea (6 to 8 watery poos in 24 hours) may also mean that the pill does non work properly. Keep taking your pill equally normal, simply use additional contraception, such equally condoms, while yous have diarrhoea and for ii days after recovering.

Speak to a GP or nurse or call NHS 111 for more information, if your sickness or diarrhoea continues.

Who can use the combined pill

If there are no medical reasons why yous cannot take the pill, and you exercise not smoke, you can take the pill until your menopause. Even so, the pill is not suitable for everyone. To find out whether the pill is right for you lot, talk to a GP, nurse or chemist.

The pill may non be right for you lot if you:

are pregnant
smoke and are 35 or older
stopped smoking less than a yr ago and are 35 or older
are very overweight
take certain medicines

The pill may also not be correct for you if you have (or accept had):

claret clots in a vein, for example in your leg or lungs
stroke or whatsoever other disease that narrows the arteries
anyone in your shut family having a blood clot nether the age of 45
a middle abnormality or heart disease, including loftier claret pressure
astringent migraines, especially with aureola (warning symptoms)
breast cancer
disease of the gallbladder or liver
diabetes with complications or diabetes for the past 20 years

After having a baby

If y'all have just had a infant and are not breastfeeding, yous tin most likely start the pill on solar day 21 later on the birth but you will need to check with a doctor. You will be protected against pregnancy directly away.

If you start the pill afterward than 21 days later giving birth, you volition need additional contraception (such as condoms) for the next 7 days.

If you are breastfeeding, you're not advised to take the combined pill until 6 weeks after the birth.

After a miscarriage or abortion

If you accept had a miscarriage or abortion, yous can outset the pill up to 5 days later on this and you will be protected from pregnancy straight abroad. If you start the pill more than than 5 days after the miscarriage or abortion, y'all'll need to use additional contraception until you have taken the pill for seven days.

Advantages and disadvantages

Some advantages of the pill include:

it does not interrupt sex
it commonly makes your bleeds regular, lighter and less painful
it reduces your risk of cancer of the ovaries, womb and colon
it can reduce symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
it tin can sometimes reduce acne
it may protect against pelvic inflammatory illness
information technology may reduce the gamble of fibroids, ovarian cysts and non-cancerous breast disease

Some disadvantages of the pill include:

it can crusade temporary side furnishings at offset, such equally headaches, nausea, breast tenderness and mood swings – if these do not become after a few months, it may aid to change to a different pill
it tin can increase your blood pressure
it does not protect yous against sexually transmitted infections
breakthrough bleeding and spotting is common in the first few months of using the pill
it has been linked to an increased adventure of some serious health conditions, such as blood clots and breast cancer

The combined pill with other medicines

Some medicines interact with the combined pill and it does not piece of work properly. Some interactions are listed on this page, only it is non a complete list. If you want to check your medicines are prophylactic to take with the combined pill, you can:

ask a GP, do nurse or chemist
read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine

Antibiotics

The antibiotics rifampicin and rifabutin (which can be used to treat illnesses including tuberculosis and meningitis) can reduce the effectiveness of the combined pill. Other antibiotics do not have this effect.

If you are prescribed rifampicin or rifabutin, yous may be advised to change to an alternative contraceptive. If non, you will need to use additional contraception (such as condoms) while taking the antibiotic and for a short fourth dimension after. Speak to a doctor or nurse for advice.

Epilepsy and HIV medicines, and St John's wort

The combined pill can interact with medicines called enzyme inducers. These speed up the breakdown of hormones by your liver, reducing the effectiveness of the pill.

Examples of enzyme inducers are:

the epilepsy drugs carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone and topiramate
St John'due south wort (a herbal remedy)
antiretroviral medicines used to treat HIV (enquiry suggests that interactions between these medicines and the progestogen-simply pill can affect the rubber and effectiveness of both)

A GP or nurse may advise you to apply an alternative or boosted form of contraception while taking any of these medicines.

Risks of taking the combined pill

In that location are some risks associated with using the combined contraceptive pill. All the same, these risks are small.

Blood clots

The oestrogen in the pill may cause your blood to clot more readily. If a blood clot develops, it could cause:

deep vein thrombosis (clot in your leg)
pulmonary embolus (clot in your lung)
stroke
middle set on

The take a chance of getting a blood clot is very pocket-size, simply your doctor will bank check if you accept certain hazard factors before prescribing the pill.

Cancer

The pill can slightly increase the take a chance of developing chest cancer and cervical cancer. It tin can too subtract the chance of developing womb (uterus) cancer, ovarian cancer and bowel cancer.

However, 10 years after you stop taking the pill, your risk of chest cancer and cervical cancer goes back to normal.

Where y'all tin get the combined pill

Contraception is free to everyone through the NHS. Places where you tin can get contraception include:

community contraception clinics
some genitourinary medicine (Gum) clinics
sexual wellness clinics – they also offer contraceptive and STI testing services
GP surgeries – talk to a GP or nurse
some immature people's services (phone call the Sexual Wellness Line on 0300 123 7123 for more information)

Observe a sexual health dispensary

Getting contraception during coronavirus

If you need contraception, call your GP surgery or a sexual health dispensary every bit before long as possible. Simply go in person if you lot're told to.

It tin take longer to get contraception at the moment and some types are not widely bachelor.

Yous may merely be able to go the combined pill if you've had your claret pressure level and weight checked in the last 12 months.

If you lot cannot get the combined pill, you lot may be advised to use the progestogen-only pill or condoms for now.

How practise I change to a unlike pill?

If you want advice almost changing your contraceptive pill, y'all can visit a GP, contraceptive nurse (sometimes called a family planning nurse), or sexual health clinic.

You should not have a pause betwixt different packs, so y'all will commonly be brash to start the new pill immediately or await until the twenty-four hours after yous accept the last of your old pills.

You may also be advised to utilize alternative methods of contraception during the changeover, as the new pill may have a short time to have effect.

If you're under 16 years old

Contraception services are costless and confidential, including for people nether the age of 16.

If you're nether xvi and want contraception, the dr., nurse or chemist will not tell your parents (or carer) equally long as they believe you fully understand the information you're given and your decisions.

Doctors and nurses work nether strict guidelines when dealing with people nether 16. They'll encourage y'all to consider telling your parents, but they will not make you.

The only time that a professional might want to tell someone else is if they believe you lot're at run a risk of harm, such equally corruption. The risk would demand to be serious, and they would usually talk over this with y'all starting time.

More than data

For more information about the pill visit:

Sexwise's page nigh the combined pill
Contraception Choices' page about the combined pill

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Page last reviewed: i July 2020
Next review due: 1 July 2023

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Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/combined-contraceptive-pill/