Millinette Pill

Millinette is a combined oral contraceptive pill that contains man-made versions of the hormones oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and progesterone (gestodene). These hormones work together to regulate your menstrual cycle to stop you getting pregnant.

Millinette is available in 2 dosage strengths:

• 20/75
• 30/75

Both pills contain the same amount of gestodene, 75 micrograms (mcg), but different amounts of oestrogen. The pill with the lowest dose contains 20mcg of oestrogen to reduce the risk of side effects and is known as a ‘low-dose pill’.

Can Millinette help with acne?

Yes, some people take Millinette to improve the appearance of acne. For Millinette in particular, research has shown that 75mcg of gestodene combined with 30mcg of ethinylestradiol improved acne in most patients, with 62% reporting none or minimal acne lesions. This means if you want to take Millinette for acne, a higher dose of oestrogen is recommended, as oestrogen is the ingredient in the pill that helps with acne symptoms and oil production.

“Here at ZAVA, we can’t prescribe the pill specifically for acne, but we can recommend which pill would be best if you have acne and also want to prevent pregnancy. Combined pills like Millinette are recommended for acne over the progesterone-only pill, which can sometimes make acne worse. If you have acne and over-the-counter treatments aren’t helping, we also prescribe a range of acne treatments.” Dr Babak Ashrafi, Clinical Lead for Service Expansion

The Millinette pill, containing ethinylestradiol and gestodene, works in 3 ways to prevent pregnancy:

1. Stops the ovaries from releasing an egg each month (ovulation).
2. Thickens the cervical mucus to stop sperm reaching an egg.
3. Thins the womb lining, making it difficult for an egg to implant itself.

How long does Millinette take to work?

If you start taking Millinette on days 1 to 5 of your period, you will be protected from pregnancy straight away.

If you start it after day 5, you’ll need to use condoms for 7 days before you will have full protection.

If you are taking Millinette to also improve acne, it can take several weeks or months before your skin gets better. Your body will take time to adjust to the medication, and at first, it may seem like your skin is not improving or even getting worse – this is normal but you should see some improvement by 3 months. In some cases, it can take up to a year to see the full effects.

How effective is Millinette?

When taken exactly as prescribed, Millinette is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, although it’s likely to be closer to 91% effective when you factor in things like missing a pill or sickness (vomiting and diarrhoea can reduce the effectiveness of the pill if it happens within 4 hours of taking it).

Millinette pills are supplied in strips of 21 tablets, each marked with the corresponding day of the week they should be taken.

When taking Millinette, you should:

1. Select the pill that relates to the correct day of the week – if it is Monday, choose the first pill that says ‘Mon’.
2. Swallow 1 pill at the same time every day, for 21 days, with water if necessary.
3. Follow the direction of the arrows on the strip for 21 days until you have taken all of the pills.
4. When you have finished the strip, have a 7–day break where you take no pills for 7 days.
5. You should experience a withdrawal bleed, like a period, during this break and you’ll still be protected against pregnancy so no need for extra protection.
6. On the 8th day, begin a new strip, even if you are still bleeding.

These instructions are the same if you take the lower or standard Millinette dose. If you take Millinette in this way, you should start a new strip on the same day each week and have a withdrawal bleed every 4th week.

There are other ways to take your combined pill if you don’t want breaks as often, or at all. You should discuss this with your doctor before changing how you take your pill, but you can also try:

1. Tricycling – take 3 packets of Millinette back-to-back before having a 4-day break. You will likely have a withdrawal bleed, but this should be lighter and shorter than a period. On the 5th day, even if you’re bleeding, start this process again. This means you’ll only bleed every 3 months. Evidence suggests that this method can make the pill more reliable.
2. Continuous – take Millinette without a break, starting a new pack as soon as you’ve finished your last one. You won’t have a pill-free break so won’t have a withdrawal bleed, but you may get some breakthrough bleeding. If you get spotting or bleeding for 3 days in a row, take a 4-day break and then continue taking your pill continuously. You shouldn’t do this more than once a month. If you get persistent spotting or bleeding, your doctor may recommend another method of pill-taking.

If you’re unsure, you can find a full list of instructions in the Millinette patient information leaflet or by speaking with your doctor or pharmacist.

When to take Millinette

You can take Millinette at any time during the day that suits you, as long as you take it at the same time each day. You might find it easier to take it at the same time as something else you do every day, such as brushing your teeth or going to bed. If you think you might forget to take your pill, set an alarm on your phone to remind you.

When you first start Millinette, you should start it on days 1 to 5 of your period if you can, so you are protected against pregnancy straight away. However, you can start Millinette at any time during your menstrual cycle. If you take it after day 5, you’ll need to use another method of contraception, like condoms, for 7 days.

How much Millinette to take

You only need to take 1 Millinette pill each day regardless of which method you follow for taking your pill. You won’t take any pills on your pill-free days if you have them.

Your doctor will discuss whether the low or standard dose is most suitable for you. The low-dose Millinette pill contains 20mcg of oestrogen compared to 30mcg in the standard dose. The low-dose pill is recommended for people who may be at a higher risk of experiencing side effects when taking the pill.

How long do you need to take Millinette for?

Each Millinette strip is taken for 21 days until you have taken all of the pills. Then, you will have a 7-day break where you do not take any pills, but will likely experience a withdrawal bleed.

Follow the instructions from your doctor if you take the pill in a different way.

How long is it safe to take Millinette for?

Millinette can be taken for as long as you do not want to become pregnant. It is safe to take long-term and you’ll need to have yearly pill checks with your doctor so they can check it's still a safe and suitable option for you, but you should report any continuous or serious side effects straight away.

If you want to have a baby, you can stop taking Millinette at any time, but you will no longer be protected against pregnancy from the day you stop taking the pill.

What should I do if I miss the pill?

If you are less than 12 hours late

Take the last missed pill as soon as you remember, even if that means taking 2 pills in the same day. Then, continue taking your next pills as usual. Your protection against pregnancy shouldn’t be reduced.

If you are more than 12 hours late

Take the missed pill as soon as you remember, even if it means taking 2 pills in 1 day. Then, continue taking the rest of your pills as normal, but you will need to use an additional non-hormonal method of medication, such as condoms for the next 7 days.

Millinette pills are a prescription-only medication, so you will need a doctor’s approval to obtain it. That means you may be able to get it from reputable online services or on the NHS.

Can I buy Millinette online?

You can buy Millinette online. Millinette is a prescription-only medication, so you'll need a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional before you can buy it. It’s important to only request Millinette online from trusted online services like ZAVA, that are monitored and regulated to ensure you receive safe and genuine medication.

Getting Millinette with a prescription online from ZAVA is quick and convenient, with no need for a face-to-face appointment:

• Complete a short online medical questionnaire: share details about your health so our doctors can ensure Millinette is right for you.
• Order and pay online: ign in or create your ZAVA account, select Millinette, and securely make your payment.
• Doctor review and approval: a UK-licensed doctor will check your health information and approve your prescription request if Millinette is safe and appropriate for you.
• Fast and discreet delivery: if approved, Millinette will be delivered discreetly to your home or a local post office for collection.

If you have any questions or need support while taking Millinette, your online account includes a free doctor messaging service.

Can I buy Millinette over the counter?

No, you need a prescription from a doctor to obtain Millinette.

There are no combined pills available over-the-counter in the UK, but there are progesterone-only pills or mini pills available without prescription, like Hana. An online doctor or pharmacist will still need to ask you a few questions to see if it is suitable for you before you buy it as the active ingredients may not be suitable for everyone.

Like all medications, Millinette can cause side effects, but not everyone will get them.

Very common side effects (affecting more than 1 in 10 people):

• headaches
• irregular bleeding and spotting between periods

Common side effects (affecting up to 1 in 10 people):

• vaginal yeast infection (thrush)
• depression
• dizziness
• feeling sick (nausea)
• upper abdominal pain
• nervousness
• weight gain
• acne
• changes to vaginal secretions
• painful or absent periods
• breast pain
• breast discharge
• swollen breasts

Uncommon side effects (affecting 1 in 100 people):

• fluid retention
• migraine
• increased or reduced appetite
• increased blood pressure
• being sick (vomiting)
• skin rash
• diarrhoea
• yellow-brownish patches on the skin (chloasma)
• hair growth or loss
• low sex drive
• changes to serum lipid level

Rare side effects (affecting 1 in 1000 people):

• glucose intolerance
• eye irritation when wearing contact lenses
• yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
• ear infections and disease
• skin issues
• increased sex drive
• blood clots (gestodene is associated with clots in 9 to 12 women a year out of every 10,000 who take Millinette)

How long do Millinette side effects last?

Millinette side effects should go away by themselves within the first few months of taking the pill as your body gets used to the hormonal changes taking place.

If your side effects last longer than 3 months or you’re finding them difficult to manage, speak to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist for advice.

What to do if you get Millinette side effects

Most mild Millinette side effects can be managed with over-the-counter medications, such as paracetamol if needed.

If you are finding side effects difficult to tolerate or they last for more than 3 months, speak to your doctor or nurse for advice. They may advise trying the lower dose Millinette pill if you are not already taking it or a more suitable contraception with fewer side effects.

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, call 999 or get someone to take you to A&E immediately:

• swollen face, tongue and/or throat
• difficulty swallowing
• hives with difficulty breathing
• difficulty breathing
• signs of a blood clot (swelling in one leg, sudden unexplained breathlessness, vision loss, chest pain, severe pain in your stomach)

Millinette may not be right for everyone. There are certain conditions and medications that can interact with Millinette and make it less effective, or potentially unsafe.

Do not take Millinette if you:

• are allergic to any of the ingredients in Millinette, including ethinylestradiol or gestodene
• have ever had a blood clot in your legs, lungs, or other organs
• have a blood clotting disorder
• need an operation or are going to be off your feet for a while
• have ever had a heart attack or a stroke
• have angina pectoris or have had a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
• experience a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’
• are diabetic or have a high level of fat in your blood
• have high blood pressure
• have pancreatitis
• have or have ever had liver disease or liver tumours
• have ever had cancer affected by sex hormones such as breast or cervical cancer
• experience unusual vaginal bleeding
• have hepatitis C and are taking any medications that contain ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, dasabuvir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir or sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir

Before taking Millinette, you should also tell your doctor if you are taking any prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal medication, including medications used to treat:

• epilepsy
• tuberculosis
• HIV and hepatitis C
• Fungal infections
• pulmonary arterial hypertension
• arthritis

Although Millinette may not be suitable for everyone, there are several alternative contraceptive pills available. There are many different contraceptive pills available and it is important to spend some time familiarising yourself with them to choose the best one for you.

At ZAVA, we offer:

Combined Pills

Other combined pills include:

• Microgynon 30
• Yasmin
• Lucette
• Marvelon
• Rigevidon

Progesterone-only pills

Also known as mini-pills, progesterone-only pills only contain 1 female sex hormone and may be more suitable for women who cannot tolerate oestrogen. Some of the mini pills we offer are:

• Cerelle
• Cerazette
• Noriday
• Norgeston

Millinette vs Rigevidon

Millinette and Rigevidon are both examples of combined pills that contain ethinylestradiol but they contain different types of progesterone. Millinette contains gestodene while Rigevidon contains levonorgestrel.

Millinette vs Femodette

The low dose version of Millinette and Femodette contain the same active ingredients in the same dosages, 75mcg gestodene and 20mcg ethinylestradiol. They work in exactly the same way but have different brand names.

Millinette vs Loestrin

Millinette and Loestrin are both birth control pills available in a low and standard dose. However, Loestrin is no longer available.

Is Millinette the same as Yasmin?

No, Millinette and Yasmin are not the same. They are both combined pills but they contain different active ingredients.

Millinette contains ethinylestradiol and gestodene whereas Yasmin contains ethinylestradiol and drospirenone.

Drospirenone is a 4th generation progesterone whereas gestodene is 3rd generation. This means drospirenone is a newer type of progesterone and is less likely to cause breakthrough bleeding and androgenic side effects like acne.