What is Hana?
Say hello to Hana, a contraceptive pill that is available in the UK without prescription
There’s a big idea behind one little pill. At Hana, we believe that access to contraception should be convenient.
That’s why part of our mission is to give you all the information you need to feel empowered by your choice of contraception. In this article you can find out all about Hana, if you have any further questions you should consult a pharmacist or healthcare professional. If you would like to choose Hana as your contraception, you will then need to complete a consultation either with a pharmacist or online to check if Hana is suitable for you.
No other contraceptive pill is more effective*
Hana is a progestogen only pill (also known as a PoP or the mini pill), and contains the ingredient desogestrel. You take Hana every day, at the same time, with no break between packs. When used correctly, Hana is over 99% effective.
Part of our mission is to give you all the information you need to feel empowered by your choice of contraception
If there’s anything else you need to know about your pill, talk to your pharmacist. If you would like to choose Hana, a pharmacist will ask you some questions to check Hana is suitable for you. Let’s consider some of the most frequently asked questions about Hana:
The active ingredient in Hana is a synthetic type of a female sex hormone, a progestogen called desogestrel. Contraceptive pills which contain desogestrel help prevent pregnancy by working primarily to stop ovulation (egg release) which means sperm have nothing to fertilise. It also works by altering cervical mucus to make it more difficult for sperm to travel to the uterus. For more information about the Hana pill and what it is, why not read the online version of the package leaflet.
You can buy Hana over the counter in a pharmacy without a prescription. The pharmacist will need to ask you a few questions to check that Hana is suitable for you. You can find Hana in pharmacies including Boots, Lloyds, Superdrug, Well and Day Lewis. The recommended retail price for Hana is £21.95 for a three month pack, or £9.95 for a one month pack. That works out as little as 26p per day.
You can also buy it directly from hanadirect.co.uk, or one of our online pharmacy partners and have it delivered to your door. If you buy Hana online, you will complete an online version of the consultation with a pharmacist to ensure that Hana is suitable for you.
Like all desogestrel progestogen only pills, if you start using Hana on day one of your period, it will be effective straight away. If you start using it at a different point of your menstrual cycle, you should use a barrier method of contraception, such as condoms, as an extra precaution for the first 7 days.
Your pharmacist will be able to advise you on when to start Hana and how to take it. There is more information in the package leaflet, which you can view online here.
For Hana to be most effective, you should take it at the same time every day with no break between packs.
Choose the time that you’re most likely to remember it, and put the pack somewhere prominent. If you keep your pack next to your toothbrush, will you be reminded to take it when you brush your teeth in the morning? If you’re a skincare guru, put it between your cleanser and your toner, as another step of your daily routine. Wherever you store Hana, make sure it is out of the reach of children and that it is stored below 30℃.
If you’re taking Hana for the first time, here’s a short step-by-step guide:
Check the time. Hana is over 99% effective when taken correctly, so it’s important to make sure you’re taking it at the same time each day.
You may want to have a glass of water handy. This can make your pill easier to swallow – especially if you’re using it first thing in the morning.
Pop today’s pill out of the foil-covered packet. Your packet has days of the week on them, so you can remember where you are.
Swallow your pill (with water, if you like).
It’s really important to take your pill at the same time every day, but if you miss a pill (it happens – we’re all human!) you should follow the advice in the packet leaflet regarding missed pills.
You have a 12 hour window in which to remember to take your pill, and it will still be effective. Continue to take your other pills as usual – this may mean taking two pills in one day. Read on to see what you should do if you forget to take your pill and more than 12 hours have passed.
Hana is suitable for many women and people with uteruses who are of childbearing age (so anyone who has had their first period all the way up until when they reach menopause). Hana may not be suitable for you if there is a medical reason you shouldn’t use it, for example being allergic to any of the ingredients.
Pharmacist Deborah Evans** says: “Your pharmacist will check there are no medical reasons that could mean the pill is not suitable for you. If you’re under 16, we won’t refuse the pill based on your age but we may ask a few more questions.”
Hana is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when used correctly (taking it at the same time every day).
Hana is also suitable for many who can’t use oestrogen-based methods of contraception (such as the combined pill). That includes smokers who are over the age of 35, and people who are overweight and who have high blood pressure. Your pharmacist will advise on suitable contraception based on your individual situation.
You may even have just had a baby, and don’t want another child at the moment. Hana can be used while you’re breastfeeding. You can start using Hana in the first 21 days after childbirth. If you start later you should use a condom for 7 days in addition to taking the pill as an extra precaution. Your pharmacist will be able to advise you on the best time to start taking Hana.
Your pharmacist will check that there is no reason that Hana will not be suitable for you, here are a few of the reasons they might advise you against taking Hana.
There are a few medicines and herbal remedies that can impact Hana’s effectiveness. Tell your pharmacist if you are taking any medication.
You shouldn’t use Hana if you suspect that you could be pregnant. This is something that the pharmacist will check with you in their consultation to check that Hana could be suitable for you. If you’re in doubt, you should take a pregnancy test before using Hana, to rule out the possibility of pregnancy. There is no evidence that Hana could harm a pregnancy or the unborn child.
You should not use Hana if:
There are some medical conditions when Hana may not be suitable, and the pharmacist will be able to advise you on an alternative method of contraception. These are outlined in the packet leaflet and include:
- You are allergic to desogestrel or any other ingredients in Hana
- If you have cancer that is affected by sex-steroid hormones, such as certain types of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial (uterine) cancer
- if you have, or have had, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) or severe liver diseases and blood tests show your liver has not returned to normal
- If you have a blood clot in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism)
- You have unexplained bleeding between periods or after sex (you should check this out with a doctor as it can be a symptom of more serious problems)
- If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
You should consult a doctor before using Hana if:
- You have had cancer that is affected by progestogen hormones, such as certain types of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial (uterine) cancer
- You have had a blood clot in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism)
- You have liver cancer or other liver disorders.
- You have diabetes.
- You have epilepsy.
- You have tuberculosis.
- You have high blood pressure.
- You have or have had chloasma (yellowish brown pigmentation patches on the skin)
If you remember your pill within 12 hours
It’s very important to take your pill at the same time every day. But even with the best intentions, we can forget things from time to time. If you realise that you’ve missed your pill but you’re within the 12 hour window, take the delayed pill straight away, and take your further pills as usual, even if this means taking two pills in one day. Don’t worry, your contraceptive protection should still be effective.
More than 12 hours
If you’ve missed a pill by more than 12 hours, you should take the most recently missed pill as soon as you remember, and then take the next pill as normal – even if this means taking two pills in one day. Use extra contraception (e.g. condoms) if you have sex in the following 7 days, because your pill may be temporarily less effective.
Multiple days
If you’ve missed multiple days of your pill then do not take them all at once. Just take one of the missed pills and then resume taking it as usual, leave the other missed pills in the pack. You should use a condom if you have sex in the 7 days after you resume taking your pill as it will not be effective right away.
If your period is late after missing any pills in the last month, or if you think you may be pregnant, take a pregnancy test. If the test is positive, stop taking Hana and see your doctor as soon as possible.
You should refer to the package leaflet for more information, and if you are still unsure consult a pharmacist or doctor.
Being sick (vomiting) within 3-4 hours of taking Hana counts as missing a pill, and you should take another dose even if that means taking two pills in one day. If you don’t continue being sick, you can then carry on taking Hana as usual.
If you have an illness that means you are continuously vomiting and/or having diarrhoea – like food poisoning, or norovirus – you should continue using your pill as normal, but you should use a condom throughout your illness and for seven days afterwards in addition to your pill because it may not be effective.
If you’ve forgotten to use a condom after missing a pill, you might consider using emergency contraception to help prevent pregnancy. Your pharmacist will be able to advise you about different types of emergency contraception and what might be most appropriate for you. They will ask you a few questions to check whether the emergency contraceptive pill is suitable for you.
The emergency contraceptive pill is available at most pharmacies or from your GP and can be effective up to 120 hours after unprotected sex (in the case of ellaOne, Hana’s sister brand and the most effective emergency contraceptive pill***) or 72 hours afterwards (for emergency contraceptive pills containing levonorgestrel). Both pills are most effective when taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex.
If you use ellaOne, you should wait 5 days before using Hana again and use a condom if you have sex in that time. You should then use a condom for the following 7 days after you start taking Hana as usual – so you should be using condoms as an extra precaution for 12 days in total.
If you use the emergency contraceptive pill containing levonorgestrel you can start using Hana again straight away, but you should use a condom for 7 days after resuming using Hana.
You can also use an IUD (copper coil) as emergency contraception if it is fitted up to 120 hours after unprotected sex.
No contraception is 100% effective. If you think you might be pregnant while you’re using Hana, you should take a pregnancy test to be sure.
Deborah Evans** says: “pregnancy tests should show an accurate result from the first day of your missed period although some tests can be used as early as 4 or 5 days before your period is due. As you may not have a period while on Hana, count 21 days after the unprotected sex took place.”
“The early symptoms of pregnancy include a missed period, tender breasts, nausea, fatigue and urinating more frequently,” says Deborah.
If you have become pregnant while using Hana, you should speak to a healthcare professional such as your doctor for advice as soon as possible.
- Missing your pill
- Taking your pill at different times each day
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- Using ulipristal acetate at the same time as using Hana
- Some medications and herbal remedies such as St John’s Wort
Hana is generally very well tolerated. Like all medicines, Hana can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Changes to your period may occur but this tends to calm down after a few months of using Hana.
Common (affecting up to 1 in 10 people)
- Irregular menstruation or amenorrhoea (no periods)
- Altered mood
- Depressed mood
- Decreased libido (sex drive)
- Headache
- Nausea
- Acne
- Breast tenderness
- Weight gain
Uncommon (affecting up to 1 in 100)
- Vaginal infection
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses
- Vomiting
- Dysmenorrhoea (painful periods)
- Ovarian cysts
- Tiredness
- Hair loss
Rare (These may affect up to 1 in 1,000 women)
- Rash
- Hives
- Painful blue-red skin lumps (erythema nodosum)
If you get any side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report side effects via the Yellow Card Scheme at: yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk or the MHRA Yellow Card app in Google Play or Apple App Store.
Serious Side Effects
Serious side effects are rare, but if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Severe allergic reactions
You may experience signs of a severe allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) including:
- swollen face, lips, tongue and/or throat
- difficulty swallowing or breathing
Rarely, women taking Hana have had an ectopic pregnancy, where the baby develops outside the womb.
- a sudden or severe pain in the lower abdomen or stomach area with or without vaginal bleeding
Women taking some hormonal contraceptive pills are at increased risk of blood clots
Symptoms might include:
- swelling, redness or pain in the leg
- chest pain, breathlessness or coughing up blood
Some people will experience irregular bleeding as their body gets used to Hana. This tends to settle down after a few months of use as your body gets used to it. This is sometimes called ‘breakthrough bleeding’ which basically means any unscheduled bleeding that happens while you’re using the pill.
Breakthrough bleeding is fairly common with desogestrel pills and is not usually a cause for concern. If it persists, or if the bleeding is unusually heavy or it worries you at all, you should consult a healthcare professional.
Unlike the combined birth control pill, when you use Hana you don’t have a break between packs during which you may have a withdrawal bleed. Hana can affect your menstrual cycle in different ways: some people experience more frequent bleeding whereas others experience less bleeding, or no periods at all (this is called amenorrhoea).
If you aren’t using any contraception but you are experiencing unexplained irregular bleeding, you should have this checked out by a doctor before you start using Hana.
Choosing to come off Hana is very simple: just stop taking it. You can stop taking Hana whenever you like. From the day you stop, you are no longer protected against pregnancy. So if you are not planning on becoming pregnant you should use another form of contraception like condoms or another contraceptive method straight away.
If you have any questions about coming off Hana, you should speak to a pharmacist or doctor who will be able to support and advise you.
Use the hashtag #AskHana or email us at Hana-uk@hra-pharma.com
Choosing to come off Hana is very simple: just stop taking it. You can stop taking Hana whenever you like. From the day you stop, you are no longer protected against pregnancy. So if you are not planning on becoming pregnant you should use another form of contraception like condoms or another contraceptive method straight away.
If you have any questions about coming off Hana, you should speak to a pharmacist or doctor who will be able to support and advise you.
So there’s just about everything you need to know about Hana, now available without prescription
If you’ve got any more questions, you should speak to a pharmacist who
will be best placed to advise you about whether Hana is suitable for you.
To read the full package leaflet, click here.
*Verify at Hana.co.uk/verify
**Deborah Evans does not endorse any pharmaceutical brands or products.
***verify at ellaOne.co.uk/verify
ask for hana Daily Contraception without Prescription
Hana® 75µg film-coated tablets contains desogestrel and is an oral contraception for women of child bearing age to prevent pregnancy. Always read the instructions on the package leaflet carefully.
ellaOne® 30mg film-coated tablet contains ulipristal acetate and is indicated for emergency contraception within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure. Always read the instructions on the package leaflet carefully.
Health information within this website is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with healthcare professionals. All decisions regarding individual care must be made with a healthcare professional considering the unique characteristics of the individual.
Copyright 2021 Hana®. All rights reserved.