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Home / When Starting Birth Control Again After Your Period When Should You Stop Bleeding

When Starting Birth Control Again After Your Period When Should You Stop Bleeding

The combined oral contraceptive pill is oftentimes only 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 terminate this happening usually by keeping the egg and sperm autonomously or past stopping the release of an egg (ovulation).

Combined pill

At a glance: the combined pill

  • When taken correctly, the pill is over 99% constructive at preventing pregnancy. This ways that fewer than 1 in 100 who use the combined pill as contraception will get pregnant in 1 year.
  • The standard style to have the pill is to take 1 every day for 21 days, and then accept a break for vii days, and during this week yous have a bleed similar a period. You lot start taking the pill again later 7 days.
  • You lot may be 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 about your options.
  • You need to accept the pill at around the same time every day. You could get significant if you do non do this, or if you lot miss a pill, or vomit or have severe diarrhoea.
  • Some medicines may brand the pill less effective. Check with your doctor if you're taking any other tablets.
  • If you have heavy periods or painful periods, PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or endometriosis the combined pill may help.
  • Modest side effects include mood swings, nausea, breast tenderness and headaches – these usually settle down in a few months.
  • At that place is no evidence that the pill will brand you lot proceeds weight.
  • In that location'due south a very depression run a risk of serious side effects, such as claret clots and cervical cancer.
  • The combined pill is not suitable if you are over 35 and fume, or if you have sure medical conditions.
  • The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so utilize a condom every bit well.
  • There may be a link between the pill and depression just evidence is mixed and further research is needed.

How the combined pill works

How it prevents pregnancy

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

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

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

At that place are many different brands of pill, fabricated up of iii main types:

Monophasic 21-twenty-four hours pills

This is the most mutual type. Each pill has the same amount of hormone in it. One pill is taken each day for 21 days and then no pills are taken for the next 7 days. Microgynon, Marvelon and Yasmin are examples of this blazon of pill.

Phasic 21-day pills

Phasic pills comprise 2 or 3 sections of unlike coloured pills in a pack. Each section contains a dissimilar corporeality of hormones. One pill is taken each 24-hour interval for 21 days so no pills are taken for the next 7 days. Phasic pills need to be taken in the right order. Logynon is an example of this type of pill.

Every 24-hour interval (ED) pills

There are 21 agile pills and 7 inactive (dummy) pills in a pack. The 2 types of pill look dissimilar. One pill is taken each day for 28 days with no suspension betwixt packets of pills. Every 24-hour interval pills demand to be taken in the right guild. Microgynon ED is an example of this blazon of pill.

Follow the instructions that come with your packet. If you have any questions, inquire a doctor, nurse or chemist.

It'southward important to take the pills as instructed, because missing pills or taking them at the same time as certain medicines may make them less constructive.

How to have 21-day pills - standard regime

  • Have 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.
  • Cease taking pills for 7 days (during these vii days you will become a bleed).
  • First your next pack of pills on the 8th day, whether you are still haemorrhage or not. This should exist the same twenty-four hours of the week every bit when you took your 1st pill.

How to take every day pills

  • Take the 1st pill from the department of the parcel marked "start". This will be an active pill.
  • Continue to take a pill every twenty-four hours, in the correct order and preferably at the aforementioned fourth dimension each day, until the pack is finished (28 days).
  • During the vii days of taking the inactive pills, you volition become a bleed.
  • Start your adjacent pack of pills later on you lot accept finished the 1st pack, whether you are nonetheless bleeding or not.

Tailored regimes

You can as well have the combined pill as a tailored regime. This may include taking the pill for 21 days and stopping for 4, or taking the pill continuously without a break. For more information speak to a doctor or nurse.

Starting the combined pill

You tin normally start taking the pill at any indicate in your menstrual cycle. There is special guidance if yous have just had a baby, ballgame or miscarriage. The guidance may also exist different if yous take a brusque menstrual bicycle. Go communication from a doctor or nurse if yous need it. You may need to utilise additional contraception during your 1st days on the pill – this depends on when in your menstrual wheel you start taking it.

Starting on the 1st day of your period

If you start the combined pill on the 1st day of your period (solar day 1 of your menstrual bike) you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. Yous will not need additional contraception.

Starting on the 5th day of your cycle or before

If you lot start the pill on the 5th twenty-four hour period of your catamenia or before, you will however be protected from pregnancy directly away.

Starting after the fifth twenty-four hour period of your wheel

Y'all will non exist protected from pregnancy straight away and volition need additional contraception until you lot have taken the pill for 7 days.

If y'all start the pill after the 5th twenty-four hours of your cycle, make sure you have not put yourself at hazard of pregnancy since your terminal period. If you lot're worried you're pregnant when yous get-go the pill, accept a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the final time yous had unprotected sex.

What to do if you miss a pill

If you miss a pill or pills, or yous start a pack late, this can brand the pill less effective at preventing pregnancy. The gamble of getting significant later on missing a pill or pills depends on:

  • when the pills are missed
  • how many pills are missed

Find out what to exercise if you miss a combined pill.

Vomiting and diarrhoea

If you vomit within three hours of taking the combined pill, it may non have been fully absorbed into your bloodstream. Take another pill direct away and the adjacent pill at your usual time.

If you keep to exist sick, proceed using another form of contraception until yous've taken the pill once more for vii days without vomiting.

Very severe diarrhoea (6 to 8 watery poos in 24 hours) may also mean that the pill does non work properly. Proceed taking your pill as normal, merely use additional contraception, such equally condoms, while you have diarrhoea and for 2 days after recovering.

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

Who can utilise the combined pill

If there are no medical reasons why you cannot take the pill, and you practice non smoke, you tin take the pill until your menopause. Even so, the pill is not suitable for everyone. To observe out whether the pill is right for you lot, talk to a GP, nurse or pharmacist.

The pill may non be correct for you if you:

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

The pill may likewise non be correct for you if yous accept (or have had):

  • blood clots in a vein, for case in your leg or lungs
  • stroke or any other affliction that narrows the arteries
  • anyone in your close family unit having a blood jell under the age of 45
  • a heart abnormality or heart disease, including loftier blood pressure level
  • severe migraines, specially with aureola (warning symptoms)
  • chest cancer
  • disease of the gallbladder or liver
  • diabetes with complications or diabetes for the by 20 years

After having a baby

If you accept simply had a baby and are non breastfeeding, you lot can most likely start the pill on mean solar day 21 afterward the birth merely you volition demand to check with a doctor. You will be protected against pregnancy directly away.

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

If you are breastfeeding, you're non advised to take the combined pill until half dozen weeks afterwards the birth.

After a miscarriage or abortion

If yous accept had a miscarriage or abortion, you tin start the pill upward to 5 days later on this and you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you outset the pill more than than 5 days afterwards the miscarriage or abortion, you lot'll need to apply boosted contraception until y'all accept taken the pill for 7 days.

Advantages and disadvantages

Some advantages of the pill include:

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

Some disadvantages of the pill include:

  • it tin cause temporary side effects at showtime, such as headaches, nausea, chest tenderness and mood swings – if these do non become afterwards a few months, it may help to modify to a different pill
  • it tin can increment your blood pressure
  • it does not protect yous against sexually transmitted infections
  • breakthrough bleeding and spotting is common in the showtime few months of using the pill
  • it has been linked to an increased risk of some serious health conditions, such as claret clots and breast cancer

The combined pill with other medicines

Some medicines interact with the combined pill and it does not work properly. Some interactions are listed on this folio, just it is not a complete list. If you desire to check your medicines are condom to accept with the combined pill, you can:

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

Antibiotics

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

If you lot are prescribed rifampicin or rifabutin, you may be advised to change to an alternative contraceptive. If not, you will need to utilize additional contraception (such equally condoms) while taking the antibody and for a short time 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 chosen enzyme inducers. These speed upwards the breakdown of hormones past 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's wort (a herbal remedy)
  • antiretroviral medicines used to treat HIV (research suggests that interactions betwixt these medicines and the progestogen-merely pill tin can bear upon the prophylactic and effectiveness of both)

A GP or nurse may propose you to use an alternative or additional course of contraception while taking any of these medicines.

Risks of taking the combined pill

There are some risks associated with using the combined contraceptive pill. However, these risks are small.

Blood clots

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

  • deep vein thrombosis (clot in your leg)
  • pulmonary embolus (clot in your lung)
  • stroke
  • heart attack

The chance of getting a blood jell is very small-scale, but your doctor will check if y'all accept certain hazard factors before prescribing the pill.

Cancer

The pill can slightly increment the risk of developing breast cancer and cervical cancer. It tin can also subtract the risk of developing womb (uterus) cancer, ovarian cancer and bowel cancer.

However, 10 years later y'all end taking the pill, your chance of breast cancer and cervical cancer goes dorsum to normal.

Where you tin go the combined pill

Contraception is costless to everyone through the NHS. Places where you tin go 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 young people'south services (call the Sexual Health Line on 0300 123 7123 for more information)

Find a sexual wellness clinic

Getting contraception during coronavirus

If you lot need contraception, call your GP surgery or a sexual wellness dispensary every bit soon equally possible. Simply get in person if you're told to.

Information technology tin can take longer to go contraception at the moment and some types are not widely available.

You may simply be able to get the combined pill if y'all've had your blood pressure and weight checked in the last 12 months.

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

How do I change to a dissimilar pill?

If you want advice virtually 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 break betwixt different packs, so you lot will normally be advised to start the new pill immediately or wait until the mean solar day after you take the last of your erstwhile pills.

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

If you're under 16 years onetime

Contraception services are free and confidential, including for people under the age of sixteen.

If you're under sixteen and want contraception, the doc, nurse or pharmacist will not tell your parents (or carer) as long every bit they believe you fully sympathise the information you're given and your decisions.

Doctors and nurses piece of work under strict guidelines when dealing with people nether xvi. They'll encourage you lot to consider telling your parents, just they will not make you.

The only time that a professional person might want to tell someone else is if they believe you're at risk of harm, such as abuse. The risk would need to be serious, and they would usually discuss this with you first.

More information

For more information virtually the pill visit:

  • Sexwise's page almost the combined pill
  • Contraception Choices' folio nearly the combined pill

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

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