Microgynon 30

Type

Daily Contraceptive Combined Pill

Active ingredients

Levonorgestrel and Ethinylestradiol

Pills

21 active

What is

This is a type of combined contraceptive pill that is used to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

How does

Microgynon 30

work?

The hormones in this pill work by (i) preventing an egg being released from your ovaries (ii) by making the fluid (mucus) in your cervix thicker which in turn makes it difficult for the sperm to enter the womb and (iii) by preventing the lining of your womb thickening enough for an egg to grow in it.

How often can I use

Microgynon 30

How to take

Microgynon 30

Microgynon 30 is a 21-day Pill – you take one each day for 21 days, followed by 7 days when you take no pills.

Take your pill at the same time every day.
Start by taking a pill marked with the correct day of the week.
Follow the direction of the arrows on the strip. Take one pill each day, until you have finished all 21 pills.
Swallow each pill whole, with water if necessary. Do not chew the pill.

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What if I miss taking the pill?

If you miss a pill, follow these instructions:

When were you due to take the missed pill?

Less than 12 hours ago

Take the delayed pill straight away and further pills as usual. This may mean taking two pills in one day.
Don’t worry, your contraceptive protection should not be reduced.

More than 12 hours ago, or you have missed more than one pill.

Take the most recently missed pill straight away.
Leave any earlier missed pills in the strip.
Take your further pills as usual. This may mean taking two pills in one day.
Use extra precautions (condoms, for instance) for the next 7 days.
Check how many pills are left in the strip after the most recently missed pill.

7 or more pills left in the pack

Don’t forget to use extra precautions for the next 7 days.
When you have finished the strip, leave the usual 7-day break before starting the next strip.
If you have missed one or more pills from the first week of your strip (days 1 to 7) and you had sex in that week, you could become pregnant. Contact the Hello Eve team or your regular health care provider and the emergency contraceptive might be recommended for you.

Fewer than 7 pills left in the pack

Don’t forget to use extra precautions for the next 7 days.
When you have finished the strip, leave the usual 7-day break before starting the next strip.
If you do not have a withdrawal bleed after you have finished the second strip, do a pregnancy test before starting another strip.
If you have missed one or more pills from the first week of your strip (days 1 to 7) and you had sex in that week, you could become pregnant.Contact your doctor, family planning nurse or pharmacist for advice as soon as possible.

If you have missed any of the pills in a strip, and you do not bleed in the first pill-free break, you may be pregnant. Contact your doctor or family planning clinic, or do a pregnancy test yourself.

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What are the side effects?

Like all medicines Microgynon is known to have some side effects. It is important to note that not everybody will experience these side effects. The side effects associated with Microgynon include;

Rare side effects (between 1 and 10 in every 10,000 users may be affected)

harmful blood clots in a vein or artery for example:

in a leg or foot (i.e. DVT)
in a lung (i.e. PE)
heart attack
stroke
mini-stroke or temporary stroke-like symptoms, known as a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
blood clots in the liver, stomach/intestine, kidneys or eye.

The chance of having a blood clot may be higher if you have any other conditions that increase this risk

Signs of a severe allergic reaction or worsening of hereditary angioedema:

swelling of the hands, face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat. A swollen tongue/throat may lead to difficulty swallowing and breathing
a red bumpy rash (hives) and itching.

The chance of having a blood clot may be higher if you have any other conditions that increase this risk

Common side effects (between 100 and 1000 in every 10,000 users may be affected)

feeling sick
stomach ache
putting on weight
headaches
depressive moods or mood swings
sore or painful breasts

Uncommon side effects (between 10 and 100 in every 10,000 users may be affected)

being sick and stomach upsets
fluid retention
migraine
loss of interest in sex
breast enlargement

For further reading concerning Microgynon: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1130/pil

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What are the risks?

Blood Clots

Combined hormonal contraceptive such as Microgynon 30 increases you risk of developing blood clots. It is important to remember that the overall risk of having a harmful blood clot due to Microgynon 30 is small.

Please seek urgent medical attention if you notice any of the signs listed below;

Swelling of one leg or along a vein in the leg or foot especially when accompanied by:

pain or tenderness in the leg which may be felt only when standing or walking
increased warmth in the affected leg
change in colour of the skin on the leg e.g. turning pale, red or blue
sudden unexplained breathlessness or rapid breathing
sudden cough without an obvious cause, which may bring up blood
sharp chest pain which may increase with deep breathing
severe light headedness or dizziness
rapid or irregular heartbeat
severe pain in your stomach

If you are unsure, talk to a doctor as some of these symptoms such as coughing or being short of breath may be mistaken for a milder condition such as a respiratory tract infection (e.g. a ‘common cold’).

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What is the effect of other medicines on

Microgynon 30

When not to use

Microgynon 30

You should Not use Mircogynon if you have any of the condition listed below. If you are still unsure after reading this section, you can speak to the Hello Eve Team or your regular healthcare provider.

If you have (or have ever had) a blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT), your lungs (pulmonary embolus, PE) or other organs
If you know you have a disorder affecting your blood clotting – for instance, protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin-III deficiency, Factor V Leiden or antiphospholipid antibodies
If you need an operation or if you are off your feet for a long time (see section ‘Blood clots’)
If you have ever had a heart attack or stroke
If you have (or have ever had) angina pectoris (a condition that causes severe chest pain and may be a first sign of a heart attack) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA – temporary stroke symptoms)
If you have any of the following diseases that may increase your risk of a clot in the arteries:

severe diabetes with blood vessel damage
very high blood pressure
a very high level of fat in the blood (cholesterol or triglycerides)
a condition known as hyperhomocysteinaemia

If you have (or have ever had) a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’
If you have or have ever had breast cancer
If you have ever had a severe liver disease, and you have been told by your doctor that your liver function test results are not yet back to normal
If you have ever had liver tumours
If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to any of the ingredients in Microgynon 30.

Do not use Microgynon 30 if you have hepatitis C and are taking the medicinal products containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir (see also in section “Taking other medicines”).

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Back to Daily pill

Back to Emergency pill

Microgynon 30

Type

Active ingredients

Pills

What is

Microgynon 30

Daily contracpetive pill

From £5 / month

Emergency contracpetive pill

From £13

Hello Eve

Superintendent Pharmacist