Q: What should I do if I missed the pill?

A: If you’re on the Combined Pill , you have a wider margin of error, around 12 hours, for it to remain effective. What you do next also depends on the stage you're at in your monthly cycle, and how far through your current packet of pills you are. Here’s what to do if you forget to take your pill or are late:

• read the instruction leaflet;
• speak to your pharmacist;
• check with your family planning advisor;
• check with your doctor.

If after forgetting to take your pill you do not get a period during the first regular seven-day pill-free interval, you may be pregnant. Contact your doctor at once, to do a pregnancy test. If after taking the pill, you suffer severe diarrhoea or vomit within three to four hours, the effectiveness of your pill may be limited. In such cases, take another pill. If vomiting or diarrhoea lasts more than a day, protect yourself with additional contraception for that complete cycle. But you should still continue taking the pills in the pack in order to avoid bleeding, spotting or an early period.

Q: What is Drospirenone?

A: Drospirenone is a new synthetic Hormone that’s more like the Progesterone your body produces naturally at certain times in your Menstrual cycle. Your natural Progesterone actually helps your body get rid of the water that the estrogen you produce in the first half of your Menstrual cycle causes you to store up.

Q: What are the types of pill existing?

A: Today there's a whole range of different brands, dosages and types of pill available. Your doctor or family planning advisor can advise you which one is best for you. If you have a problem like weight gain, water retention, breast tenderness, headaches, acne or irregular periods, it’ll be taken into account before the pill is prescribed – or before switching you to a different pill. But whatever type you’re prescribed, all pills fall into one of two categories:

1. The Combined Pill (containing Progestogen and estrogen) - taken for three weeks and with a one-week pill-free break. (You can even get a 28-day pack with seven dummy pills for people who find it hard to remember when to stop and start!)

2. The POP (the Progestogen-only pill or mini-pill) - taken every day of the year, without a break.

Q: How long do I have to be on the Pill before it takes effect?

A: This depends on the day you start taking your pills. Day 1 Starters should be protected after the first day they take the Pill. Sunday Starters need to be on the Pill for one week before pregnancy protection takes full effect. Sunday Starters should use a backup method of birth control (such as condoms or spermicides) for the first week that they are on the Pill. Please see prescribing information for more detail.

Q: Is there a chance that I can get pregnant while on the Pill?

A: If you take the Pill as instructed, your chance of becoming pregnant is less than one in 100. About five out of 100 women using the Pill become pregnant, but most of these pregnancies occur in women who do not correctly follow the instructions given in their pill packs.