Oral contraception is pretty easy and once you get in the habit of taking the pill each day, it is likely to become second nature. Each strip comes with 28 pills, with the days of the week marked above each. This will help you to keep track of what you’ve taken.

Swallow one pill whole and with water, at the same time every day, until the 28 pills have been finished, then start the next pack. Mini pills do not contain dummy pills (placebos to keep the habit of taking a pill daily going throughout the month) like the combined pill, so each pill is essential to maintaining effective protection against pregnancy.

For more information about how to take Cerazette, read the patient information leaflet that comes with your treatment.

You can technically, but it won’t be effective right away if you do.

If you have not taken a hormonal contraceptive the previous day, you should begin your course of Cerazette on the first day of your cycle, which is the first day of bleeding on your period. You will then be protected against pregnancy from the start. If taken on the second to fifth days of your cycle, you will need to use a barrier contraceptive for seven days.

If you have taken a hormonal contraceptive the day before, as long as it was not a dummy pill, you can start taking Cerazette immediately afterwards and you will remain fully protected.

If you forget to take your daily pill, this will significantly reduce your level of protection, but it is easily corrected by taking the pill as soon as you remember it, even if this means taking two at once. Unlike other mini pills, Cerazette can be taken for up to 12 hours after the scheduled dosage (for many other pills it is three hours). After 12 hours, however, you will need to use a barrier contraceptive, such as a condom, for seven days.

When you take Cerazette, period like bleeding can occur over the course of the cycle, and at irregular times. For some, however, no bleeding will occur at all. If this becomes an issue for you, consult with our clinician about a suitable alternative treatment.

Stopping Cerazette should cause no significant issues and your menstrual cycle should return to its normal rhythm fairly quickly. If you are coming off Cerazette and still want to remain protected against pregnancy, you will need to use a different form of contraceptive.

If you’re stopping Cerazette to try and get pregnant, it is recommended that you wait for your first full period after stopping it, before trying to conceive.

Side effects on Cerazette are usually mild when they occur and include: headaches, nausea, breast tenderness and digestive issues. These are thought to affect up to 1 in 10 patients and often subside as the body adjusts to the treatment.

If you get mild side effects that persist, sign in to your account and let the prescriber know. They may be able to recommend a different pill that suits you better.

There are serious side effects that can occur with Cerazette. While these are extremely rare, it is important to know what they are and what to look out for in case they do present. If you experience any of the following, seek immediate medical assistance:

• Unusual breast lumps
• Any signs of thrombosis (pain when standing, discolouration in the area affected, swelling, problems breathing, chest pain, breathlessness and numbness on one side of the body)
• Severe mood changes or depression
• Allergic reactions (swelling of the mouth, tongue, face or throat, breathlessness and seizures)

Weight gain is a reported side effect, but in truth there is little evidence to suggest that weight is caused by the contraceptive pill. In fact, some report having weight loss on the mini pill, but there’s not much evidence to suggest the two are linked. Changes in the body may occur, however, due to the levels of hormones being affected by Cerazette, which is the mechanism by which it works.

If you’ve been advised to take the mini pill, the combined pill likely isn’t going to be suitable for you (and neither is the patch or the ring).

There are different mini pills available though, such as Cerelle (very similar to Cerazette), Noriday and Norgeston. Norgeston, Noriday and Cerazette are very much alike, but contain slightly different progestogens. So if you’re getting minor side effects on one type, you might find another type doesn’t cause these.

Very little. Mainly the manufacturer, the name (obvs) and the price. Some mini pills contain the same active ingredients in the same dosage, which is the case with Cerelle and Cerazette. With the exception of branding, packaging and price, these are essentially exactly the same medication.

There’s the injection (also known as the Depo-Provera shot). Each shot lasts 13 weeks before you need to have another. This can’t be self-administered and you’ll need to have it done in a clinic.

The Mirena IUD (intrauterine device) is a piece of plastic that you can insert into the vagina and gives you protection for up to 5 years. But again, this is something you’ll need to insert with the help of a clinician in person.

If you’re looking for alternatives to the mini pill, let your prescriber know, and they’ll be able to suggest something for you.