Progestogen-only contraceptive pill: what to know

You take one tablet every day, continuing through the pack as directed. There is no planned break between packs for many products. Bleeding may become lighter, less predictable, more frequent, or absent. These changes do not by themselves show whether the pill is working.

The exact missed-pill window and advice after vomiting or diarrhoea depend on the product. Some medicines and herbal products can also reduce contraceptive protection. A clinician or pharmacist can check the specific leaflet and your other medicines. Read about the hormone ingredient levonorgestrel if it appears in your prescription.

Choose a routine that makes the daily dose easy to remember, such as taking it with a regular evening habit. If you miss a tablet, take the product-specific steps promptly and use extra protection when advised. The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections, so condoms may still be useful.

Tell the prescriber about pregnancy, unexplained vaginal bleeding, liver disease, breast cancer, and medicines you take. Discuss whether an oestrogen-free method suits your health history, priorities, and plans for pregnancy.

Seek urgent medical help for sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, coughing blood, one-sided leg swelling or pain, severe headache with new neurological symptoms, or fainting. Contact a clinician promptly for a positive pregnancy test, severe lower abdominal pain, very heavy or prolonged bleeding, or bleeding after a period of stability.

Ask which product and missed-dose window apply to you, when contraceptive protection begins, what to do after sickness, and whether any of your medicines interact with it. You can also compare it with the combined pill, which contains oestrogen.