You’ve definitely heard of it, you may have even taken it, but how much do you really know about the pill? While birth control pills are often simply referred to as ‘the pill’, there are actually two types of contraceptive pill which contain different ingredients.

It’s really important to learn about the contraception you’re taking so you feel empowered to take charge of what happens to your body. Join us as we do a deep dive into the differences between the progestogen-only pill and the combined pill.

The mini pill (also known as the progestogen-only pill or PoP) is a hormonal method of contraception which contains a synthetic version of the naturally-occurring hormone progesterone. Traditional PoPs work mainly by thickening cervical mucus, and may also work to prevent ovulation. Other PoPs containing desogestrel, like Hana, work mainly by preventing ovulation and have a secondary action of thickening cervical mucus.

The PoP does not contain oestrogen and can therefore be taken by women and people with uteruses for whom oestrogen may be unsuitable, such as those with high blood pressure and smokers over the age of 35. You can also use the PoP while breastfeeding.

The progestogen-only pill is taken every day, at the same time, with no break in between packs. If you miss your pill, there is either a 12 hour or 3 hour window in which you can remember to take it, and it will still be effective. Traditional progestogen-only pills have a 3-hour window, whereas progestogen-only pills which contain desogestrel (like Hana) have a 12 hour window. Find out more about the progestogen-only pill here.

The combined pill is a hormonal method of birth control which contains synthetic versions of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. It works by preventing ovulation and is usually taken for 21 days with a seven day break during which you may have a withdrawal bleed. You can also get everyday (ED) pills which have no break.

As the combined pill contains oestrogen, it may not be suitable for some women and people with uteruses if they experience adverse side effects from taking this hormone. This includes people with high blood pressure and smokers over the age of 35.

It’s really important to remember that neither contraceptive pill can protect you from STDs, only condoms can do that.

Let’s look at some of the key details you should know about each pilL. This guide is for reference only and should not be used in place of a consultation with a healthcare professional, but it may help to inform your choice.

Yes you can. If you’re taking the combined pill but think you’d like to try the progestogen only pill instead, the transition is pretty straightforward.

It’s important to remember that everyone is different and some types of birth control may just not suit you for whatever reason.

It’s important not to leave a gap in between your old pill and your new pill as this could impact its effectiveness. You can switch to your new pill the day after finishing your last pack. If you leave any time between finishing one pill and starting another, you should use a barrier method, such as condoms, for the first seven days of switching to the progestogen-only pill.

You can also switch from the progestogen-only pill to the combined pill if you wish, and the same rules apply about using condoms for the first week if there’s a gap between your old pill and your new pill, as your new pill will not be effective yet. You should speak to your doctor about this to ensure you are making an informed decision. [Evidence: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/the-pill-progestogen-only/]

Hana is a progestogen-only pill which is available to buy over the counter without prescription, so you won’t have to wait for a doctor’s appointment. The pharmacist will ask you some questions to see whether Hana is right for you. Hana contains desogestrel which helps prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation and thicken the cervical mucus. When used correctly, Hana is 99% effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy. No other contraceptive pill is more effective without prescription.*

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Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the difference between contraceptive pills so you feel more empowered to make an informed decision about your contraception choices. Want to find out more about the Hana pill? Read What Is Hana for more information.

Hana® 75µg film-coated tablets contain desogestrel and is an oral contraception for women and people with uteruses of child bearing age to prevent pregnancy. Always read the instructions on the package leaflet carefully.

*Verify at Hana.co.uk/verify

Did you know that 29% of British women rely on a daily contraceptive pill as their main source of contraception? That means that the pill is statistically the most popular contraceptive choice in the UK – and at Hana, we are all about making your choice of contraception easily accessible.

Contraceptive pills can be used by many different people through different stages of their life. People take the pill to help protect them against unplanned pregnancies, to control the size of their family or because children aren’t on the cards for them. 

Have you thought about starting a family? It’s not necessarily for everyone, but the great thing about contraception in our country is that it gives you control and choice – it is up to you whether or not you want children and, if you do, when, how and how many. 

Today, we are chatting to four mums about their experience of having children and returning to contraception. From all different walks of life and parts of the UK, these women have one thing in common – they all started taking the contraceptive pill again after birth.

We recently ran a poll with over 1,000 people, asking women, trans men and non-binary people about their contraception. Unsurprisingly, 51% said that they took their daily contraceptive pill to avoid unplanned pregnancy.

Abbie, who is a first-time mum to 10-month-old Eliza, says: “I have been on the pill since I was 14 or 15. I had been taking it for seven years when I did some research and made the switch to the progestogen-only pill (PoP). I wanted something that better suited my lifestyle, and this option made it so I wouldn’t need to have a break between packs, which was ideal. I didn’t really experience any lasting side effects, and I ended up sticking with it.”

The public’s reaction to the pill has been steadily changing over the past few decades. We’ve gone from only married women having access to the pill in the 60s, the uproar around all women being granted access in the 70s, the introduction of the morning after pill in the 80s and sexuality becoming more discussed and less taboo in the 90s. Now, you can purchase some progestogen-only pills online and over the counter with no need for a GP appointment – instead you have a consultation with a pharmacist to make sure it’s the right option for you.

As accessibility of daily contraception gets better, so does the acceptance of women being in charge of their own reproductive life. It seems like the world is steadily becoming more and more sex positive – and we’re here for it!

Lil, a mum of three children under eight says: “The pill grew in popularity in the 90s, so I hopped straight on that bandwagon with the combined pill, which I took for a couple of years. When I met my partner, I wanted to be protected against pregnancy. I can’t stand needles so couldn’t have the (contraceptive) injection, and didn’t fancy any invasive procedure like getting the coil, so going back on the pill seemed like my best option. I decided to try the progestogen-only pill this time and I never looked back. I have always been so careful about taking it properly, but I actually fell pregnant because I was unwell and the pill hadn’t had a chance to absorb into my system!”

You should take your pill at the same time every day. The efficiency of the pill can be compromised if you are unwell, so if you experience sickness or diarrhoea within 3-4 hours of taking your pill, it probably won’t have had a chance to absorb into your system. You should take another pill as soon as possible (even if that means taking two in one day), and continue as normal from then on. If you are repeatedly unwell or unwell for a number of days, you should take your pill as normal, but consider using a barrier contraception – like condoms – during this time, and for seven days afterwards. Always check the PIL (patient information leaflet) for advice.

The average age for a new mum in the UK was 29 years old in 2019 and seems to be rising. Whereas 20+ years ago, people were looking to settle down and start having kids much younger, that simply isn’t the case for many people today. 

Lil, who just turned 41, tells us: “When I first got pregnant, it was a huge shock. Even though I was in my thirties and loads of my friends were having kids, it wasn’t planned. When I realised that 40 was on the horizon, we decided to try again. It’s not exactly traditional, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

We are all unique, and so is each person’s reaction to coming off the contraceptive pill. Your fertility should return soon after you stop taking the contraceptive pill; some people come off the pill and fall pregnant straight away, while some people may try for a few months or longer. Everyone’s ovulation patterns and fertility are different, so not falling pregnant straight away doesn’t necessarily mean there is an issue. If you have been trying to conceive for more than a year (or six months if you are over 35 years old), then you should see a doctor to check why pregnancy may be harder for you.

Sophie’s pregnancy with her daughter, Gigi, wasn’t planned at all. “I came off the pill with the aim of trying cycle-tracking as a contraceptive method, didn’t realise that I was supposed to use a barrier for the first few months and got pregnant! It was an emotional rollercoaster, but a pretty brilliant one!” 

Everyone’s story of parenthood begins differently. Some people choose to get married and wait a few years, but others want to start their journey as a parent straight away.

Abbie, 29, says, “I waited until we were back from our honeymoon to come off the pill and start trying. Five months later, I was pregnant. I feel so lucky to be Eliza’s mum, but at the same time sometimes I wonder how something so small can test your patience so much!”

There are loads of reasons why a new parent might choose to go on the pill after having a baby and, while there is so much to think about at this exciting time, the contraceptive pill is an option that can easily slot into your new life and routine. 

Abbie decided to stay on the PoP (progestogen-only pill) because she was breastfeeding. “I knew I wanted to make sure that I didn’t get pregnant again, so I went back on the pill about 16 weeks after having Eliza.”

“I took the pill for 8 weeks, six weeks after giving birth,” says Carly, who is mum to baby Romell. “I knew I didn’t want to get pregnant again straight away, and wanted to be protected while I worked out what kind of contraception was going to be my best option going forward.” 

The great thing about the contraceptive pill is that it fits easily into your lifestyle and gives you control over your body. Progestogen-only contraceptive pills like Hana are suitable for people who are breast-feeding and you can start using Hana in the first 21 days after childbirth. If you start later you should use a condom for 7 days as an extra precaution in addition to taking the pill.

In 2018, the average completed family size for women in England and Wales was 1.89 children per woman. There are a lot of things to consider when thinking about having more children. In Hana’s recent survey, 18% of people said that they take the pill because they want to be able to stop taking their contraceptive at any time.

“I love taking the pill because it gives me control of when and how we grow our family,” says Abbie. “I know that no contraception is 100% effective, but the odds around taking the pill* are so good and it makes me feel much more comfortable knowing that when I next want to have a baby, I can just come off the pill again and start trying.”

Some people like Sophie, 30, might want to entirely avoid experiencing pregnancy again:  “I really didn’t like being pregnant or giving birth, so there is more to consider now I’ve done it once, which is why I’m back on the pill.”

Parenthood can be tough and completely different for everyone who experiences it – but it’s important to remember that all parents started out new to parenthood! It’s all well and good having your Gran tell you to ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’, but we know that’s not always going to be the reality…

“You are your own person, and so is your baby,” says Abbie. “Only you will have your mothers intuition and know what is best. Oh, and make time for your other half! Our relationship changed immeasurably when we became parents and we quickly lost sight of how we used to be. Now we schedule regular time to spend together, just the two of us.”

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Community is always important, and trying to have a support system in place to help you as you get to grips with this new chapter of your life will definitely help! Loads of mums meet others through baby groups, some have their family close by to lend a helping hand and some rely on online support networks – you’ve just got to work out what feels best for you. Parenthood can be lonely, but it’s important to remember that you’re never alone.

“Surround yourself with the strongest support network possible,” says Sophie. “Try going to baby groups to meet new mums and don’t be afraid to ask for their phone number or give yours out… I think us Brits are super shy. I felt like I was dating again!” 

For all the sleep deprived and distracted parents out there, overwhelmed with both love and washing, we are here for you. When you don’t have time to make or attend a doctor’s appointment, Hana® can be purchased over the pharmacy counter and online (with a pharmacist-reviewed checklist to help ensure it is an appropriate product for you).

Regardless of your situation, we want you to feel in control and empowered when it comes to your contraception, and finding out what’s best for you.

*When used correctly, taken at the same time every single day without breaks, Hana® can be more than 99% effective at helping to prevent pregnancy.

Hana® film-coated tablets. Oral Contraception. Contains desogestrel. Read label.

Since Hana® and another progestogen-only pill became available to buy over the pharmacy counter without prescription, people have had a lot of things to say about it. 

Some people are concerned that the pharmacist’s consultation won’t be as robust as a doctor’s, others question our use of the words ‘women and people with uteruses’, and many want more contraceptive options for men and people with penises.

In this article, we’re going to directly address and discuss some of the questions and concerns that people have been raising on our social media channels.

As you may know, there are different types of contraceptive pills. The combined contraceptive pill contains synthetic versions of the naturally occurring hormones oestrogen and progesterone, whereas the progestogen-only pill contains  – you guessed it! – a synthetic version of the naturally occurring hormone progesterone.

The progestogen-only pill does not contain oestrogen, which means it is suitable for some people who cannot take oestrogen, such as women and people with uteruses over the age of 35 who smoke and people who are on certain medications or who have specific health conditions. 

As Hana® and other progestogen-only pills only contain progestogen, blood pressure checks are not required to use them.

The progestogen-only pill is available over the pharmacy counter, but that doesn’t mean you just ask for it and buy it. You will need to have a consultation with a pharmacist – either in person or by completing an online questionnaire – which is then checked by a qualified pharmacist before proceeding. 

Pharmacists complete a five year degree and undergo regular training, so are fully qualified to dispense contraception. Your pharmacist will ask all the questions a doctor would ask you, and are available to answer any questions you may have about your contraception.

There are a lot of different ways people choose to help them prevent pregnancy. Some people use fertility tracking – tracking their menstrual cycle and ovulation, often with the help of an app – and using contraception around their most fertile days, whilst having unprotected sex on ‘safe’ days. 

This method requires really accurate calculations. Ovulation typically occurs in the middle of your cycle, but it varies from person to person – and sometimes from month to month. 

Ovulation typically lasts from 12-24 hours, after which the egg dissolves and can no longer be fertilised, but sperm can live inside the body for up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Some people have irregular cycles, and your cycle can be affected by things like stress, sleep and weight loss or gain.

It can be hard to be accurate enough to reliably prevent pregnancy using this method. If you’re interested in trying this method, make sure you’re comfortable with and able to regularly take your body temperature and track your cervical mucus as well as keep a close eye on your menstrual cycle. 

When Hana® and some other progestogen-only pills was made available to buy over the pharmacy counter without prescription, it was never designed to replace the contraceptive services you can get from your doctor. If you want to see your doctor about your contraception, that’s entirely up to you and that option will and should always be there for you.

This move was designed to make the contraceptive pill easier to access for people who, for whatever reason, can’t or don’t want to wait for a doctor’s appointment. Maybe they find it hard to schedule appointments around work or other commitments, perhaps they have to wait for ages before they can schedule an appointment, or maybe they’d just rather get the pill in a pharmacy. Accessibility is important, so that people can choose the right option for them. 

We use the words ‘women and people with uteruses’ because women are not the only people who may want to use the progestogen-only pill. Some trans men and non-binary people who have not had a hysterectomy and do not identify as female will still have the ability to become pregnant and may wish to use the contraceptive pill (or another form of contraception) to prevent pregnancy. You can find out more about inclusive language at Hana® here.

Contrary to what some people think, taking testosterone does not prevent pregnancy. The combined pill is not usually recommended for people taking testosterone, because oestrogen can counteract its effects, so the progestogen-only pill can be a good choice for some trans men and non-binary folk.

It’s also important to remember that being trans or non-binary does not mean someone is necessarily taking hormones or has had or wants to have surgery. The way people express their gender identity is unique to them and is their choice. We want to ensure that everyone knows what their contraceptive options are. 

We recently conducted a survey with over 1,000 women, trans men and non binary people. We found that nearly 90% (88% to be exact) would like their male partner to use a contraceptive pill or a form of long term contraception if such a thing existed, and 50% said this was because it would be good to feel like the responsibility of contraception was equally shared.

It would be good for there to be more contraceptive options for men. Men and people with penises are fertile for longer in their lives (there is no male equivalent of menopause), they are fertile every day of the month and the fact they don’t get pregnant means that statistically, they can have a lot more children than women. Unfortunately, trials on the male pill are still ongoing. Read more about the male pill on ellaOne.co.uk, our sister site.

In the meantime, there are a lot of contraceptive options to choose from – including condoms – which do rely on the partner with a penis. There are also reasons that women and people with uteruses may want to continue to take the pill even if these options existed. 

Our survey also showed that 39% of the people who wouldn’t want their partner to use a contraceptive pill or other option said it was because they – the person with the uterus – was the one who could get pregnant and so wanted to feel in control of their contraception. 

We hope that in the future there will be more contraceptive options for everyone, so you can find something that works for you.

In 2021, history was made as progestogen-only contraceptive pills containing desogestrel became available to buy over the counter without a prescription. Hana is one of these pills!

The pill has been available in the UK for almost 60 years and compared to 1961 when you had to prove you were married to access the pill, we’ve come a very long way.

It’s about time that women and people who can get pregnant are free to choose their contraception and to get it on their terms, without having to wait for a doctor’s appointment. You will be asked some questions for your pharmacist to check if your chosen progestogen-only pill is right for you.

To celebrate, we’re taking a deep dive into other significant events in the history of contraception to show just how far we’ve come. From discovering how babies are made to the invention of the pill and the birth of Hana, read on to discover how Hana made history.

For as long as there have been babies, people have been trying to not have babies. The problem was: our ancestors didn’t know how babies were made.

People realised pretty quickly that penetrative intercourse (aka P in V sex) could lead to the person with the V getting pregnant, but it wasn’t until 1875 that they figured out how pregnancy worked.

To get pregnant, someone with a vagina has to be ovulating. Ovulation (aka release of an egg from the ovaries) usually occurs once a month roughly in the middle of the menstrual cycle, although that varies from person to person.

If someone with a penis ejaculates into your vagina around the time that you’re ovulating, the sperm can fuse with the egg to create an embryo which then moves to the uterine wall and can develop into a foetus.

This is all common knowledge now, but how babies are made was the unanswered question that baffled the scientific world for centuries.

Ever been with a guy who lept up straight after sex to stare at his sperm under a microscope? That was the situation Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s wife found herself in when Leeuwenhoek studied his seed and concluded it was made up of ‘tiny little creatures’ which ‘moved like eels’¹.

This sparked a ‘spermist’ vs ‘ovarist’ debate, where spermists argued the eel-like creatures in sperm were the babies – little, miniature humans swimming to their new home. Ovarists, on the other hand, thought babies came from the eggs in female ovaries¹.

Spermists thought babies came from sperm and ovarists thought they were made in eggs, but for centuries no one put two and two together. It wasn’t until 1875 when German scientist Oscar Hertwig put a sea urchin – a good choice as they are transparent and have a similar reproduction set up to humans- under a microscope, dropped a sperm onto it and watched as the cells merged into a single nucleus. Finally, the origins of life had been discovered.

From the dawn of civilisation people have been trying to enjoy sex without getting pregnant. Some early methods of contraception are familiar. Coitus Interruptus (the withdrawal method) was a popular choice, although people put way too much importance on sperm and to ‘waste your seed’ was seen as a sin in many cultures².

While it would be many centuries until the birth control pill was created, early societies used natural ingredients to prevent pregnancy. An ancient Greek legend involves the goddess of spring Persephone eating nothing but pomegranate seeds to avoid getting pregnant when she was kidnapped by the God of the underworld. We now know that pomegranate seeds have naturally occuring contraceptive components, so the ancients were onto something²!

Less effective forms of ancient contraception involved wearing weasel testicles around your neck or wearing animal organs as condoms. The famous lover Casanova even encouraged women to use half a lemon as a cervical cap!

Condoms, diaphragms, douches and pessaries (a prosthetic device inserted into the vagina which used to be used as a contraceptive containing spermicide) all predate the pill, but they were often unsafe, messy or relied heavily on the man. Women needed something that they could use on their own terms to prevent unplanned pregnancy – and in the 1950s, they finally got it.

Long standing contraceptive advocate and originator of the term ‘birth control’ Margaret Sanger met Goodwin Pincus at a dinner party and together they decided to start searching for a hormonal contraceptive which women and people with uteruses could take to prevent pregnancy.

Pincus was trying to rebuild his image after the scientific community rejected him for being a Frankenstein style scientist – and bragging about it to the press. Sanger had spent years working as a nurse and had met women desperate to stop having children for the sake of their health and their existing family. She wanted women to be able to enjoy sex without fear of pregnancy – and to put them back in control of their fertility.

It is important to note that Sanger was a eugenicist.* Her motives may have been in empowering women to be able to enjoy sex without the fear of pregnancy leering over them, it may have been in stopping people she deemed unfit from having children, or it was likely a combination of the two.

*Eugenics is the study of how to arrange reproduction within a human population to increase the occurrence of heritable characteristics regarded as desirable.

Together with catholic doctor John Rock and heiress and scientist Katherine McCormick, who funded most of the research, work began on creating a contraceptive pill.

As it was illegal to conduct large birth control trials in the US, the first pill was tested on women in Puerto Rico where there weren’t such laws. The women were not informed this was an experimental trial or of possible side effects, making this an incredibly unethical study.

The early pill contained a much larger dose of hormones than it does today and almost 20% of the women in the Puetro Rican trials complained of headaches, nausea, dizziness and weight gain. Despite how unethical this study was, only one woman became pregnant and the trial was deemed a success⁵.

In 1957 the first birth control pill containing oestrogen and progestogen was made available in the U.S.A. Named Enovid, the pill was initially marketed for ‘gynecological disorders’ until 1960 when it was approved for contraceptive use.

Enovid came with a big label saying “warning: prevents pregnancy” so people still got the message. A year after it’s launch, 400,000 women in the United States were taking it — which increased to 1.2 million by 1962⁷.

A year later, Enovid was available in the U.K for married women. Non married women were only allowed to obtain the pill legally in 1967 in the U.K – but there are stories of women getting around this by using a fake wedding ring.

The birth control pill isn’t called one of the seven wonders of the modern world for nothing.⁶ Giving women the option to control their fertility meant that they could choose when, and if, they had children. This revolutionised women’s possibilities. It gave them the option to work for longer, pursue different careers, and to marry for love – not necessity.

“The pill gave women more autonomy. It gave them control over their reproductive health. If they were married and their husband didn’t want to use condoms, for example, or refused to use condoms, this gave them a level of control over their fertility that they wouldn’t have otherwise had,” says Dr Anne Hanley*, a historian specialising in sexual and medical health.

Things have changed for the better since the days of weasel testicles and lemon diaphragms. Better access to contraception and more (if still not perfect) acceptance of female agency and sexuality means that women and people with uteruses are by and large no longer defined or controlled by their reproduction. We can choose if we have kids at all, how many we have and when we have them. A lot of that is thanks to the pill.

In 2021, Hana – a progestogen only pill available to buy over the counter without prescription – launched in the U.K. Suitable for many women and people with uteruses, Hana can help prevent pregnancy by consistently inhibiting ovulation and thickening the cervical mucus.

It’s been sixty years since the pill was first invented and now women and people with uteruses can finally access it without a doctors appointment. Whether you’re too busy or cannot get a doctors appointment, or if you simply want to decide which pill you take, you just need to answer some questions so your pharmacist can help you decide if Hana is right for you. We trust that you know what you want. It’s 2021 and it’s about time! Want to find out more about Hana? Read this next.

The health care providers quoted in this article do not endorse any products or brands.

References

1. The New York Times
2. Planned Parenthood
3. Wellcome Collection
4. Garden Collage
5. The Conversation
6. Johns Hopkins University Press
7. Bustle

“Does the pill make you fat?”

You may have heard that the pill can cause weight gain. We understand that this is a concern for some people and may even put you off taking the pill altogether. So we’ve done our best to explain why in some cases the pill can cause weight gain, but don’t forget that everyone is different and can respond differently to contraceptive pills.

Some women and people with uteruses may experience slight weight gain when they start a new contraceptive pill, while many won’t see any difference.

‘The pill’ can refer to either the combined pill (which contains synthetic versions of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone) or the progestogen-only pill (PoP). Hana is a progestogen-only pill, so let’s find out more about whether the PoP can cause weight gain.

Whilst weight gain is listed as a common side effect for the progestogen-only pill and may affect up to 1 in 10 people, it’s important to remember that pills like Hana can affect people in different ways. Evidence also suggests that when people do put on weight associated with the pill, it doesn’t mean they are piling on the pounds. There may be a slight increase in weight, but it is not often a significant amount.

A review of 22 studies into both the mini pill and the combined pill found that participants gained less than 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) after 6 or 12 months of starting the mini pill. There wasn’t much difference in weight gain between those who took the combined pill or the progestogen-only pill. [Ref:https://www.cochrane.org/CD008815/FERTILREG_effects-progestin-only-birth-control-weight]

Deborah Evans*, an experienced pharmacist, says: “if you are experiencing any unwanted side effects from your contraceptive pill, you should speak to a pharmacist or your doctor about your options.”

“You should feel comfortable with your choice of contraception, and there are plenty of other options if the pill isn’t right for you,” she continues.

When people gain weight, it’s usually due to one of three factors: fluid retention, increase in muscle mass or an increase in body fat.

It’s hard to tell whether weight gain has anything to do with the pill as there are many other reasons someone may gain weight. Your weight also naturally fluctuates and it’s common to see a slightly different number on the scales even within the same day. While slight weight gain could be a result of the pill, you should also consider whether anything else in your routine has changed.

If you are concerned that your contraceptive pill is making you gain weight, you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Fluctuations in weight are perfectly normal. While some people do notice a slight increase in their weight after starting a new pill, it’s important to remember that it could also be down to other factors.

Say if you started taking the pill because you’re in a relationship, and that means you’re going on more dates to restaurants or enjoying more takeaways while you curl up on the sofa with your partner – can you be sure that it’s the pill making you gain weight, or enjoying some indulgence with your new partner?

If you want to maintain your weight or lose weight, you should stick to a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly. Please note that some people may be unable to lose weight due to a pre-existing condition, so you should contact your doctor if you believe that to be the case.

The best way to avoid weight gain is a healthy diet combined with regular exercise.

As with most things in life, there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains as well as being careful not to eat too many high calorie/sugar snacks can all help maintain a healthy weight. Remember that alcohol is also high in calories, so limiting your alcohol intake is a good idea if you’re worried about weight gain.

It’s important not to treat any foods as ‘bad’ or ‘off-limits’ because you might actually end up craving them more! Moderation is key with any good diet, so as long as the majority of your meals are balanced and make you feel satisfied and energised you’re doing okay.

Exercise is important for weight loss because it burns excess calories which may otherwise be turned into fat, but there are tons of other benefits. Regular exercise is great for your mental health, it helps keep you fit and healthy, it can help you avoid loads of health issues and it makes you feel good!

Exercise doesn’t have to be about spending 40 minutes on the treadmill or lifting 100kg weights. Swimming, yoga, jogging, cycling, dance and martial arts are all great ways to strengthen your muscles and trim some calories, so just find something that you enjoy and want to stick at.

The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week (like walking fast, cycling and or hiking) or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week (like swimming, running or anything that builds up a good sweat!). It’s also important to move around during the day, even if it’s just for a ten minute walk in your lunch break.

Calories get a bad name, but they’re actually really important because they’re what gives you energy! Weight gain problems are related to consuming more calories than you burn, which then results in weight gain. If that’s something you want to avoid, you should look at your diet and exercise routine to ensure you’re not eating more calories than you need.

It’s recommended that women eat around 1,500-2,000 calories a day depending on lifestyle, age and other factors. It’s really important that you don’t eat too few calories because you won’t feel good and you won’t have the energy to go about your day.

Rather than avoiding the meals you enjoy, consider using a smaller plate to reduce your portion sizes instead and filling up your plate with vegetables. Adding seeds and nuts to a meal is a great way to fill up on some extra healthy fats – plus it tastes good too!

Last, but certainly not least, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Drinking enough water can help you feel fuller for longer, plus you’ll feel well hydrated and it’s great for your skin!

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The bottom line is that the pill may or may not make you gain weight. While we don’t know for sure that it’s connected to the pill, you are an expert in your own body and so if your current pill is causing any adverse side effects you have every right to try something else. A pharmacist or another healthcare professional will be able to advise you on a suitable contraceptive method for you.

If you’re finding it hard to lose weight despite following diet and exercise advice, you may want to speak to a healthcare professional as weight gain can sometimes be linked to health conditions which require medical attention.

If you can’t or don’t want to book a doctor’s appointment, Hana is a progestogen-only contraceptive pill which is available to buy over the counter without a prescription. You will need to answer some questions for the pharmacist to check it is suitable for you. You can buy a one month or three month pack to start with, so you can see whether it works for you. Find out more about Hana here.

*Deborah Evans does not endorse any products or brands.

You should tell your pharmacist or doctor if you are taking, have recently taken or may start taking any medications as some can affect your hormones and cause your contraceptive pill to be less effective. This includes non prescriptive medications and herbal remedies. It is always important to seek medical advice from your doctor or pharmacist if you’re on the pill and start taking a new medicine or herbal remedy.

If you start taking any new medicines, you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist about how it may impact the effectiveness of your pill. They can tell you if you can continue taking your pill and if you should use an additional method of contraception, like a condom, as well.

You may well be familiar with antibiotics – the drugs that help us fight off infections. Lots of people know that you shouldn’t drink alcohol while using some antibiotics, but did you know that you should also be careful when having sex while using some antibiotics?

If your doctor is prescribing you a new medication, it is important to tell them that you are taking Hana. They can tell you if it is OK to take at the same time, and whether you need to use additional contraception.

Some antibiotics, such as rifampicin and rifabutin, may interfere with how your contraceptive pill works and reduce how effective it is.

Some women and people with uteruses have to take more long-term medications to manage underlying health conditions. If so, it’s important to tell the pharmacist what you’re taking and check with them whether or not these will interfere with either your pill or the new medicine you’re taking.

Enzyme-inducing drugs, in particular, can make your pill less effective. “Enzyme-inducing medications,” Deborah explains, “break down the hormones in your body. Because of this they can interfere with hormonal contraception and make the pills less effective.”

Enzyme-inducing medications include treatments for:

● Epilepsy
● Tuberculosis
● Pulmonary arterial hypertension
● Depression
● Fungal infections (such as griseofulvin)

While you are taking and once you have stopped taking an enzyme-inducing drug, you will need to use an additional method of contraception alongside the pill for at least 28 days.

Taking herbal remedies can have one, very inconvenient, unintended side effect if they stop your pill from working. Before you start taking them, make sure your herbal remedies won’t interfere with your birth control.

St John’s Wort is a herbal remedy that some people choose to use to treat low mood and mild anxiety, however it can impact the effectiveness of Hana and other contraceptive pills. It is important you tell the pharmacist if you are taking any herbal remedies, including St John’s Wort.

Because Hana is a desogestrel progestogen-only pill (or PoP) it works by altering the hormone levels in your body so that ovulation does not take place. This means it can be affected by medications for:

● HIV infections (e.g. efavirenz)
● Hepatitis C viral infections (e.g. boceprevir, telaprevir)
● Bacterial infections (e.g. Clarithromycin, erythromycin)
● Epilepsy (e.g. primidone, phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine,felbamate, topiramate, phenobarbital)
● Tuberculosis (e.g. rifampicin, rifabutin)
● Pulmonary arterial hypertension: high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs (bosentan)
● Depression (the herbal remedy St. John’s Wort)
● Fungal infections (such as griseofulvin, itraconazole, fluconazole)
● Antibiotics (such as rifampicin and rifabutin)
● High blood pressure, angina or certain abnormal heart rhythm (e.g diltiazem)

Some of these treatments reduce the effectiveness of Hana. If you are using any of these medicines or herbal remedies for short-term treatment, you can continue taking Hana, but you must also use extra contraception (for example, condoms) every time you have sex during treatment and until 28 days after stopping the last dose of the other medicine or herbal remedy.

Please consult your doctor for advice if you are taking one or more of these medicines for chronic or long-term treatment. For more information about Hana and possible interactions with
other medications, please read the package leaflet (you can view it online here).

If you use an emergency contraceptive pill containing ulipristal acetate, you should not take Hana for 5 days afterwards as this can impact the effectiveness of both medicines – you should use an additional method of contraception if you have sex during this time. When you resume taking Hana, you will then need to use a condom for a further 7 days as your pill will not be effective.