Microgynon 30

Microgynon 30 is a combined contraceptive pill and a prescription-only medication. As it’s a combined pill, Microgynon 30 contains both oestrogen and progesterone. It is over 99% effective as long as it’s taken properly – every day at the same time.

The Microgynon contraceptive pill only protects against pregnancy, not sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In order to stay protected from STIs, it’s important to use extra protection like condoms. Condoms can also improve your protection against pregnancy, making it even more effective than taking the pill alone.

As a contraceptive pill, Microgynon 30 is used to prevent unwanted pregnancies when you’re sexually active. To achieve this effect, it contains the hormones ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel. Due to this combination and dosage, Microgynon 30 can also have other benefits, for example:

• relieving PMS symptoms
• helping with problems around your period by making it less painful, lighter and more regular

You can buy Microgynon online by using an online doctor service like ZAVA. After filling out a short medical questionnaire, one of our doctors will tell you if using Microgynon as a contraceptive method is suitable for you. If it is, you can get Microgynon deliver to your preferred address.

Microgynon helps prevent unwanted pregnancies by making it harder for a sperm to reach the egg and cause fertilisation. It does this by:

• making the mucus at the opening of the womb (cervix) thicker
• stopping eggs from being released from the ovaries
• making it harder for an egg to attach to the lining of the womb if it’s fertilised by a sperm

These are all processes that happen naturally in your body when you’re pregnant. The hormones in Microgynon basically trick your body into thinking it’s pregnant when it’s not.

When Microgynon starts working will depend on where you are in your menstrual cycle:

• If you start taking Microgynon 30 on the first day of your cycle (the first day of your period) up until day 5, it will work straight away. This means you are protected from pregnancy immediately as long as you do not have an irregular or short menstrual cycle.
• If you start using Microgynon 30 after the first day of your cycle and have a short or irregular cycle, you should use an extra kind of contraception like condoms for a week after starting it. After 7 days, you will be protected from pregnancy.
• If you start using Microgynon after the 5th day of your menstrual cycle, regardless of the length of your cycle, it will take 7 days to work. Use another form of contraception during this time if you have sex.

The Microgynon pill, like all combined pills, is around 99% effective, but only when taken correctly. If you miss pills or do not take Microgynon at the same time each day, it may become less effective. You should set a reminder on your phone or leave your tablets beside your bed to take every morning. Also, try to make sure you never run out of pills by ordering a new prescription at least a few weeks before you are due to run out.

Other things can make your pill more effective, such as:

• losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight
• avoiding herbal supplements that can interact with the pill, such as St John's wort
• using an extra form of contraception, like condoms

Take Microgynon 30 exactly as directed by your doctor – this means every day you’re due to take it, at the same time, with no late or missed pills. You can take Microgynon, and other combined pills, in 3 different ways, which are known as the traditional, tricycling, and continuous regime. We look at how each one works below:

The traditional method for taking Microgynon 30: This involves taking 21 pills – which is the number of pills in a normal pill packet. After the packet is finished, you’ll take a 7-day pill-free break and you may have some breakthrough bleeding. This isn’t a period and tends to be shorter and lighter than your natural period. On the 8th day, you’ll start a new pill packet for 21 days, even if you’re still bleeding. You’ll continue like this until you want to stop taking Microgynon, or if you switch to a different method of pill taking. It’s best to check with your doctor or nurse before taking your pill in a different way.

Tricycling Microgynon 30: Tricycling means taking 3 packets of pills (each containing 21 pills) without taking a break. After your 3rd packet, you’ll have a 4 to 7-day pill-free break. You’ll then continue this pattern for as long as you plan to take Microgynon. You may take the pill like this but with only 2 pill packets between breaks, depending on what you and your doctor decide. This can be a helpful method if you tend to have difficult symptoms during your pill-free break, you want to delay your period or to better manage symptoms of PMS.

Taking Microgynon on a continuous regime: If you don’t want breakthrough bleeds, you can take Microgynon 30 continuously, which means you won’t take a break between each pill packet. There’s a chance you’ll still bleed while taking Microgynon this way, but after several months this may stop.

It’s recommended to stop taking your pills continuously if you bleed for 4 days in a row. Stop taking Microgynon for 4 days, then continue again on the 5th day. You’ll still be protected from pregnancy during this time. Continue taking your pills back-to-back. If bleeding happens again, you can stop again for 4 days, but not more than once every 4 weeks. You should speak to your doctor or nurse if you notice bleeding or spotting more than once in 4 weeks and the 4-day break didn’t help.

If you’re not already using contraception, you can start Microgynon right away. Remember, depending on when you start during your period cycle, you might not be protected right away and may need to use extra protection for 7 days. See the section above on ‘How long does Microgynon take to work?’ for more details.

If you’re switching from another combined pill, as long as you finish your old pack of pills and start your new one the very next day, you’ll stay protected from pregnancy. If there are any gaps, or you’ve missed any pills recently, you’ll need to use extra protection for the first 7 days. Also, if you have only been on your previous pill for one week or less, you’ll need the 7 days of extra protection too.

If you’re switching from a mini pill, finish your old pack first and then start your Microgynon pills straight away. You’ll need to use extra protection for 7 days unless the mini pill you were using contained desogestrel (such as Cerelle, Hana or Cerazette).

If you have missed just one pill, you are still protected against pregnancy. You now need to:

• take your Microgynon missed pill straight away, even if you have to take 2 pills in a day
• carry on taking your Microgynon pills as normal
• take your 7-day pill-free break if you normally take one

If you have unprotected sex, you do not need another form of contraception to prevent pregnancy.

If you miss more than one pill, the effectiveness of Microgynon will decrease. This depends on how many pills you have missed.

If you miss more than one pill from your week 1 pack, or you start your week 1 pack more than a day late:

• speak to your nurse or doctor about emergency contraception if you’ve had unprotected sex
• take the last pill that you missed and leave any other missed pills
• use another form of contraception for 7 days if you have sex
• take the rest of your Microgynon pills as normal, ignoring the missed pills

If you miss more than one pill from your week 2 pack:

• take the last pill you missed and leave any other missed pills
• you will not need to get emergency contraception if you have had unprotected sex
• you will need to use another form of contraception for 7 days if you have sex
• take the rest of your Microgynon pills as normal, ignoring the missed pills

If you miss more than one pill from your week 3 pack:

• take the last pill you missed and leave any other missed pills
• you will not need to get emergency contraception if you have had unprotected sex
• if you take a 21-pill pack, take the rest of your pills and start a new pack the next day, without a break
• if you take 28 pills a month, only take the active pills (the first 21 pills in your pack), then start a new pack the next day

Missing your pill-free break means you may not have a withdrawal bleed.

If you miss more than 7 days of your pill, you will need to use another form of protection for 7 days. You are also at risk of being pregnant and may need emergency contraception.

If you miss a pill but are too late to take it before your next dose is due, you should still take both pills. This is safe, even if you take 2 pills in a day. You don’t need extra protection as long as you only miss one pill.

If you’re over 24 hours late, which means you’ve missed more than one pill, it becomes more complicated. See the section above ‘What should I do if I’ve missed more than one pill?’ – you may need to use extra protection for 7 days.

If you vomit (be sick) within 3 hours of taking Microgynon, it may not have been fully absorbed and will not be effective. Take another pill and continue your treatment as normal. If you continue to vomit, wait until you are feeling better to take your pill again.

Once you are feeling better, use another form of contraception for 7 days, just like you were starting the pill for the first time.

It’s a good idea to talk to a doctor about stopping Microgynon. They can give you helpful advice and suggest alternative contraception.

Once you’ve decided to come off Microgynon, you can stop taking it whenever you want to. You do not need to wean yourself off it or wait until your pill-free break. You won’t get withdrawal symptoms from stopping Microgynon.

The Microgynon contraceptive pill can have some side effects, and these are most likely to happen within the first few months of starting the pill. Once your body adjusts to Microgynon, most side effects should settle down. If you get any side effects that bother you a lot or are not going away, speak to your doctor.

Common side effects of Microgynon that affect up to 10% of people include:

• stomach ache
• nausea (feeling sick)
• weight gain
• headache
• sore or painful breasts
• a change in mood, such as mood swings or depressive moods
• bleeding or spotting between periods (this usually goes away within a few months)

Uncommon side effects of Microgynon that affect up to 1% of people include:

• water retention
• vomiting (being sick) and stomach upset
• migraine
• a decrease in libido (sex drive)
• breasts getting bigger
• a skin rash, which can be itchy

Rare side effects of Microgynon that affect up to 0.1% of people include:

• eye irritation when wearing contact lenses
• weight loss
• an increased libido
• discharge from your vagina or breasts

For other side effects and very rare side effects, check the patient information leaflet included in your Micrgynon 30-pill packet.

Once you’ve gone more than 24 hours without taking Microgynon, you’ll no longer be protected from pregnancy. Also, when coming off Microgynon, any side effects you were getting from taking the pill should clear up. You’ll also lose any extra benefits, like improvements to periods or acne.

Microgynon won’t cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop, but you might find symptoms of premenstrual syndrome get worse if they were improved by Microgynon while taking it. You may also have irregular periods for a few months until your body gets used to no longer taking the pill.

Each tablet contains the active ingredients progestogen (levonorgestrel) and oestrogen (ethinylestradiol). Microgynon 30 ingredients also include lactose and sucrose, which may not be suitable if you have an intolerance to some sugars.

The other ingredients in the tablets are:

• maize starch
• povidone
• magnesium stearate (E572)
• macrogol 6000
• calcium carbonate (E170)
• talc
• glycol montanate
• titanium dioxide (E171)
• glycerin (E422)
• ferric oxide pigment yellow (E172)

You should not use Microgynon 30 if you:

• have, or have ever had, a blood clot anywhere in your body
• have ever had severe liver disease and your liver function is not back to normal levels
• have a disorder which affects blood clotting, such as protein S deficiency
• are waiting to have an operation
• have ever had liver tumours
• are going to be off your feet for a while, as this can increase the risk of getting a blood clot
• have ever had a stroke or heart attack
• are allergic to any ingredient in Microgynon 30
• have, or have ever had, angina (a condition that causes severe chest pains)
• have severe diabetes and blood vessel damage
• have high blood pressure (hypertension)
• have been diagnosed with hepatitis C and are taking medications for it
• have a very high blood fat level, such as very high cholesterol
• have hyperhomocysteinaemia
• have, or have ever had, migraines with an aura
• have, or have ever had, breast cancer
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

No, Microgynon is designed to prevent pregnancy and should not be taken if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

If you are breastfeeding, you should not use Microgynon until 6 weeks after giving birth. This is because the oestrogen in Microgynon can be dangerous for your baby since it can come through in your breast milk. If you need contraception in the meantime, your midwife or doctor can suggest another form of contraception for you to try.

Microgynon can interact with other medications, making it less effective or unsafe. Speak to your doctor if you use any medication, especially:

• medications used to treat epilepsy
• St John’s wort, a herbal remedy
• medications used to treat hepatitis C and HIV
• certain antibiotics
• an antifungal medication called griseofulvin
• certain sedatives called barbiturates

There are no food or drinks that interact with Microgynon 30. But remember, if you vomit or get diarrhoea from eating food or drinking too much alcohol, you can lose your protection from getting pregnant.

Microgynon can also interfere with some blood test results, so let your doctor know that you’re taking Microgynon 30 before having any bloods taken.

There are a range of other contraceptive pills available if Microgynon is not suitable for you. These include other combined pills or progestogen-only pills. You can also choose to use non-hormonal contraception.

Choosing the right contraception method can be difficult as there are so many choices. If you are not sure which contraceptive is best for you, our guide on the best contraceptive pills for different situations can help you make a decision.

➤ Check out our other page on types of contraception for more information to help you make your choice.