The Pill
Progestogen-Only Pill
The Progestogen-only pill is a pill you swallow every day to stop you getting pregnant.
It is sometimes called the mini-pill.
Some people take the pill to help with health problems like acne or period problems.
If someone is taking the pill it does not mean they are having sex.
You need to remember to take a pill at the same time every day.
You do not take a break.
You can set reminders on your phone to take your pill every day.
You can also use a pill organiser to see if you forgot to take one.
If you forget to take a pill, you could get pregnant if you have sex.
- take the pill you missed now, or as soon as you can
- use condoms every time you have sex that day and for the next 2 days
- keep taking the rest of your pills like you normally do, even if that means taking 2 pills on the same day (the one you missed and your pill for today).
If you forget to take a pill, you can get emergency contraception. This is medicine that can stop a pregnancy from happening after unprotected sex (penis in vagina sex).
There are different kinds of pill.
It is best to speak to a doctor or nurse about which pill works best for you.
You can get the pill from your GP or a sexual health clinic.
They are the best people to help you with any questions or worries.
The pill does not protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Learn more about STIs – sexual infections
To learn more about getting the pill and what to expect afterwards read:
The combined contraceptive pill
The combined contraceptive pill is a pill you swallow every day to stop you getting pregnant.
Some people take the pill to help with health problems like acne or period problems.
If someone is taking the pill it does not mean they are having sex.
There are different types of combined pill.
Some work by taking 1 pill every day.
Some work by taking 1 pill every day for 3 weeks, then taking a short break of 4 or 7 days.
Your doctor or nurse will tell you about your type of pill and how to take it.
You need to remember to take a pill at the same time each day.
Take no pill on the days your doctor or nurse told you to take a break.
You can set reminders on your phone to take your pill every day.
You can also use a pill organiser to see if you forgot to take one.
If you forget to take a pill, you might get pregnant from sex for 7 days afterwards.
- take the pill you missed now, or as soon as you can
- use condoms every time you have sex for the next 7 days
- keep taking the rest of your pills correctly
If you forget to take your pill, you can get emergency contraception. This is medicine that can stop a pregnancy from happening after unprotected sex (penis in vagina sex).
You can get the pill from your GP or a sexual health clinic.
They are the best people to help you with any questions or worries.
The pill does not protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Learn more about STIs – sexual infections
There are different kinds of pill.
It is best to speak to a doctor or nurse about which pill works best for you.
To learn more about getting the pill and what to expect afterwards read:
