What should you know about mini calcium pills?

The mini pill, also called a progestogen-only pill or POP, is an oral contraceptive that changes cervical mucus and may suppress ovulation. It contains no oestrogen, so it may suit some people who cannot use an oestrogen-containing method. Bleeding can become lighter, irregular, or absent. The exact medicine matters: some products have a narrower late-pill window than others, so check the name and leaflet rather than relying on a general rule.

Take one tablet every day, including through bleeding, and start the next pack without a break unless your instructions say otherwise. Use an alarm and keep tablets with you. If a tablet is late, missed, vomited, or affected by severe diarrhoea, check the product instructions promptly because backup contraception or emergency contraception may be relevant. Tell a pharmacist about epilepsy medicines, certain infection treatments, and herbal products before starting or changing the pill.

Arrange medical advice for persistent heavy or troublesome bleeding, severe lower abdominal pain, or a possible pregnancy. Seek urgent help for sudden chest pain, breathing difficulty, coughing blood, one-sided leg swelling, or a severe new headache with neurological symptoms. Ask for a review if you develop a new condition or begin a medicine that may interact with contraception.

Ask which mini pill is prescribed, how late is too late for that product, and when protection starts. Confirm what to do after vomiting or a missed tablet, whether emergency contraception could be needed, and which medicines or supplements should be avoided.