The Katya pill comes in strips of 21 pills, and you should take 1 a day, at the same time, for 21 days, until you reach the end of the strip.

You can take the pills with or without food, and with water if you need to.

Start to take the Katya pill on the first day of your cycle. This will give you instant protection from pregnancy. You can also start on days 2-5 of your cycle, but if you do this, you need to use additional protection, such as a condom, for the next 7 days.

Next to each tablet is printed a day of the week. You should follow the arrow on the strip and take each pill accordingly. So if you start taking the pill on a Wednesday, take a pill with ‘WED’ beside it.

Once you’ve taken all 21 pills, stop taking any pills for 7 days. During the course of these 7 pill-free days, you should get a ‘withdrawal bleed’, which typically starts on the second or third day of the pill-free week.

On the 8th day (the day following your pill-free week), start the new strip, even if your bleeding hasn’t finished. Doing this should mean that you start a new strip on the same day of the week, and that the withdrawal bleed should happen at this time.

If you’re switching to the Katya pill from another combined contraceptive pill, start taking the Katya pill the day after the end of your pill-free week for your previous pill.

If you’re less than 12 hours late taking a pill, your protection from pregnancy doesn’t decrease. Just take the pill as soon as you remember and take any subsequent pills at the same time.

If you’re more than 12 hours late taking a pill, your protection from pregnancy may be reduced. And the more pills that you forget to take, the more likely it is that your pregnancy risk is reduced. This risk is greatest either at the beginning of a pill strip or at the end of a pill strip.

If you forget to take more than 1 pill in a strip, let our prescriber know, and they can advise you.

In week 1, if you forget to take 1 pill, take the pill that you’d forgotten to take as soon as you remember, even if it means having to take two tablets at the same time. Take any tablets that follow as you normally would, and use additional contraception like a condom for the next 7 days. If you’ve had sex during the week before you realised you’d forgotten a dose, or if you’ve forgotten to start a new strip following the 7-day pill free break, there is a chance that you could be pregnant. Contact our clinician and they can guide you on your next steps.

If you forget to take 1 pill in week 2, take the pill you forgot about as soon as you remember, even if it means taking two pills at the same time. Then take any pills that follow at the usual time. Your protection from pregnancy shouldn’t be reduced, and you don’t need to use any extra contraception.

In week 3, if you forget to take a pill, there are two options. The first is taking the forgotten pill as soon as you remember, even if it means having to take two pills at the same time. Take any subsequent pills at the normal time. But instead of taking a 7-day pill free break, start your next strip. There’s a good chance that you’ll experience a withdrawal bleed at the end of the second strip, and you may also get spotting or breakthrough bleeding during the second strip.

The second option is to stop the strip you’re on and start your 7-day pill free break, making a note of the day on which you forgot your pill. If you’d rather start a new strip on the day you started taking the pill, make the pill-free window less than 7 days.

Following either of these two options should keep you protected from pregnancy.

If you have forgotten any pills in a strip, and you don’t get any bleeding during the first pill-free window, there’s a possibility that you’re pregnant. Let our prescriber know before you move on to your next strip.

There are no reports of serious, harmful results from taking too many Katya pills, but if you take several pills at once you may get nausea or vomiting symptoms. Young girls may also experience bleeding from the vagina.

If you’ve taken too many Katya pills, speak to a clinician or pharmacist for advice.

You can, but this isn’t how the Katya pill is primarily used, so you should ask our prescriber for their input before you do it.

To delay your period, instead of taking your 7-day pill-free break once you’ve got to the end of a strip, move straight on to a new strip. You may get some spotting (drops or flecks of blood) or breakthrough bleeding while using this second strip. Then once the normal 7-day pill-free window has ended, carry on with the next strip.

Headache, nausea, sore breasts, less interest in sex and feeling depressed are some of the most common side effects of the Katya pill.

Most of the time, women who get these side effects find that they’re mild, and pass within a few weeks.^[2] But if they last longer, or if you experience any side effects that are more uncomfortable, drop our clinician a message. You just need to log into your EveAdam account. They may recommend trying an alternative pill.

If you experience any serious side effects, you should go to your nearest hospital as soon as possible. You can find more information about when to see a clinician in the patient information leaflet that comes with your pill.

Taking the Katya pill does slightly increase your chances of getting a blood clot, but the increased risk is only small. Out of 10,000 women taking a combined contraceptive pill that contains gestodene (like the Katya pill), between around 9 and 12 women will develop a blood clot over a 12 month period.

But if you experience a throbbing or cramping pain, swelling, redness and warmth in a leg or arm, feel suddenly breathless, or get chest pain and a cough (or are coughing up blood), you should seek emergency medical attention immediately.

Some women using the combined pill have reported feeling depressed, as well as experiences of low mood. If your depression or low mood persists, let our prescriber know. They may suggest that you try a different pill.

The Katya pill is only available in a 30/75 dose, so 30mcg of ethinylestradiol (an oestrogen) and 75mcg of gestodene (a progesterone). The branded version, Femodene, is also only available as a 30/75 dose.

But there is a generic combined pill called Millinette, which works in the same way as the Katya pill, that’s available as both a 30/75 dose and a 20/75 dose.

The 20/75 dose of Millinette contains less oestrogen (20mcg rather than 30mcg), so it may be a more suitable option than the Katya pill for women who have a greater sensitivity to oestrogen, or who are more prone to its side effects.

With an EveAdam subscription, you can switch from one pill to another at any time. We’re flexible like that.

You just need to log into your account and send a message to our clinician. They can advise you on any alternative pills that might be suitable for you, depending on any symptoms or side effects you may have experienced.

No. The Katya pill is available on prescription only, so you will need to have a consultation with a clinician first to assess if it’s suitable for you.

At EveAdam, our prescribers can help you to decide which pill is best for you, and help you to make an informed decision based on your medical background.