Taking Yasmin

You must follow the instructions carefully when using the contraceptive pill because if you don’t take Yasmin at the right time, the pill will not be fully effective at preventing pregnancy. Make sure you fully understand how to take the contraceptive pill.

Yasmin comes in strips that contain 21 pills and each strip represents one cycle.  Start the strip by taking the pill that corresponds to the day of the week you are on. Then proceed to take one pill a day at the same time every day. It is important that you do not take the pill late so set an alarm to remind yourself. Follow the direction of the arrows until you have taken all the pills. Once you have done so you then have seven days where you do not take any pills. You will experience a withdrawal bleed during this time. On the eighth pill free day, you need to start the next pack and it is important that you remember to take this on time otherwise you run the risk of pregnancy.

When starting the pill for the first time, start on the first day of your period to provide immediate protection. You can also start on days 2-5 of your period but you will need to use additional contraception for the next seven days whilst your body adjusts to the pill.

Forgetting to take Yasmin

If you miss a pill, you run the risk of falling pregnant. The risk of pregnancy varies depending on how long it has been since you were supposed to take the pill, how many pills you’ve missed and which pills you have missed. Follow the instructions below carefully for missed pills.

If you have forgotten to take one pill and it has been less than 12 hours since you were supposed to take it, take it immediately and carry on as normal. You will still be protected from pregnancy. If it is more than 12 hours late this is not the case and the pill may not be as effective.

If you forget a pill between days 1-7, you need to take the pill as soon as you remember and continue with the rest of the pack as normal. You will need to use extra protection such as a condom for seven days. If you forgot a pill in the days 8-14 you need to take the tablet as soon as you remember and continue as normal. If it was one of these pills, you will still be protected from pregnancy but if you forgot more than one out of this time frame, you will need additional protection for seven days. If you forgot a pill in the days 15-21, you can do one of two things. You can either take the tablet as soon as you remember and continue as normal but when you come to the end of the strip, start a new one immediately, therefore missing out a withdrawal bleed. Or you can stop taking the pills immediately and start your pill free week from now. Make sure you do not leave the pill free week any longer than seven days. If you miss more than one pill, contact your doctor.

If you have had unprotected sex during the time that your forgot to take the pill, there is a chance that you could be pregnant. Contact your doctor for advice.

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