Extended pill taking: The “21st century way to take the pill”
What does this mean?
Pills come in a three week pack, which is usually followed by a seven day break.
Not taking the pills for seven days weakens the contraceptive effect which means that an egg might be released and you may be at risk of pregnancy (especially if you miss any pills in the pack before or after).
Women have a “withdrawal bleed” in those seven days which is not a natural period but a fake one which happens simply because you’ve stopped the hormones for a few days.
This bleed is not necessary. Contraception is very safe these days so women do not need a monthly bleed to know they are not pregnant.
It is quite common for women to miss out their seven day break to avoid having a bleed, such as when going on holiday.
It is perfectly safe to carry on taking the pill for longer than three weeks.
This means less or no monthly bleeds, whatever suits you and your lifestyle.
Information on the benefits and drawbacks
Read information about the benefits, drawbacks and how to take the pill in an extended way by clicking on the sections below.
Benefits
Fewer or no monthly bleeds
Less side effects (period pain, bloating, headaches, PMT)
Avoids bleeding on special occasions (for example, holidays)
Less need for tampons or sanitary towels
Drawbacks
You might sometimes get irregular light bleeding or spotting
Some people prefer having a monthly bleed
How do I do this?
Method
What to take
Pill-free break
Extended use
Three packs of pills taken back to back (tri-cycling)
4 to 7 days off after finishing the 3rd pack then re-start. You are still protected from pregnancy during this 4 to 7 days
Continuous use with shortened pill-free interval
Pills taken continuously for at least 21 days until bleeding or spotting occurs for 3 to 4 days in a row
4 days off then re-start (even if you are still bleeding). You are still protected from pregnancy during these four days
What if I miss a pill?
You can miss up to seven pills and still be protected against pregnancy, even if you had sex in that week (as long as you’ve taken at least seven pills correctly beforehand).
If you have missed up to seven pills:
Restart your pills straight away.
No need for emergency contraception. No need to use extra protection (for example, condoms).
Continue with the next strip without any more breaks in pill taking.
You should then restart the pill and use condoms or avoid having sex for seven days.
Do a pregnancy test after three weeks.
If you miss seven or more pills: You might need to discuss emergency contraception. Please contact or attend the clinic.
What if I am sick (vomiting or diarrhoea)?
No extra precautions needed unless this lasts for seven days.
If it lasts seven days, contact or attend your surgery /clinic as you might need emergency contraception.
Continue pill-taking.
Contraception Choices
There are many types of contraception available and none are perfect. The Contraception Choices website provides honest information to help weigh up the pros and cons.
