Micronor tablets – 3 months calendar pack

Micronor contraceptive tablets prevent pregnancy in three ways.

Firstly, they affect the natural mucus at the neck of the womb (cervix). Norethisterone increases the thickness of this mucus, making it more difficult for sperm to cross from the vagina into the womb. By preventing sperm entering the womb, successful fertilisation of an egg, leading to pregnancy, is less likely.

Norethisterone also changes the quality of the womb lining (endometrium). The changes prevent any eggs that have been fertilised from successfully implanting onto the wall of the womb.

Lastly, norethisterone may prevent the release of an egg from the ovaries, however, this may not occur in all women who take the mini-pill.

Micronor contraceptive tablets should be taken every day on a continuous basis, ie you take the packs back to back without a break, including when you are having a period. (This is unlike the combined pill, which is usually taken every day for three weeks, followed by a pill-free week.)

Ideally, you should start taking this pill on day one of your menstrual cycle (the first day of your period). This will protect you from pregnancy immediately and you won't need to use any additional methods of contraception. If necessary, you can also start taking it up to day five of your cycle without needing to use additional contraception when you start. However, if you have a short menstrual cycle (with your period coming every 23 days or less), starting as late as the fifth day of your cycle may not provide you with immediate contraceptive protection. You should talk to your doctor or nurse about this and whether you need to use an additional contraceptive method for the first two days.

You can also start taking this pill at any other time in your cycle if your doctor is reasonably sure that you are not pregnant. If you start taking this pill at any other time in your cycle, you will need to use additional contraception, eg condoms for the first two days of pill taking.

If you are starting this pill after giving birth, you are protected against pregnancy immediately and do not need to use extra contraception if you start taking it on day 21 after giving birth. (You can start before day 21, but this increases the risk of breakthrough bleeding and is unnecessary.) If you start taking it later than 21 days after giving birth, you should use extra contraception for the first two days.

If you are starting this pill immediately after a miscarriage or abortion at under 24 weeks, you will protected against pregnancy immediately. If you start taking it more than seven days after the miscarriage or abortion, you should use extra contraception for the first two days of pill taking.

Micronor contraceptive tablets must be taken continuously, at the same time every day, for them to be effective at preventing pregnancy. If you are more than three hours late taking your pill, you will not be protected against pregnancy. If this happens, you should use an extra barrier method of contraception, eg condoms, for the next two days, while continuing with your normal pill taking.

What do I do if I miss a pill?

You should try and take your pill at the same time every day to help you remember to take it. If you forget to take a pill, you should take it as soon as you remember (even if that means taking two pills in one day) and then continue to take your pills, one every day, as normal.

With Binovum, if you have missed ONE or TWO pills anywhere in the packet, you will still be protected against pregnancy and you don't need to use extra contraception. Take the last pill you missed as soon as you remember, then continue taking your pills as normal.

If you forget to take THREE or more pills, you won't be protected against pregnancy. You should take the last pill you missed as soon as you remember, forget the other missed ones and then continue to take your pills, one every day, as normal. You should then either not have sex, or use an extra barrier method of contraception, eg condoms, until you have taken a pill correctly for next seven days in a row. If the pills you missed were in the third week of your packet, you should skip the pill-free week and start a new packet straight away. If the pills you you missed were in the first week of your packet and you had unprotected sex in that week, or in the pill-free week before, it may be recommended that you take emergency contraception (the morning after pill). Ask for medical advice.