48 per cent of us would ask a female friend for advice about the contraceptive pill, but are we sure our friends actually know what they are talking about?
Sex on Female First
LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor surveyed 2,000 women who were taking or had recently been taking the pill to find out more about their knowledge of the pill. The findings indicate a significant amount of confusion and misunderstanding, no doubt due to some well-established myths.
Dr Gigi Taguri, a GP with a specialist interest in sexual health and one of the LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor team puts us straight.
12 per cent of women believe it’s ok to miss one pill in the pack
“Every pill is slightly different, however in most cases if you've missed just one pill, then yes it is ok and you will be still protected against pregnancy. Make sure you take the missed pill as soon as you realise and continue taking the rest of the pack as normal. However, is it not advisable to regularly miss a pill so try and make sure you stick to a routine.”
20 per cent think if you miss a pill you can just take it the next day
“If you have just missed one pill then yes you should take it as soon as you realise, even if this means taking more than one pill in a day.”
10 per cent think the riskiest time to a miss a pill is in the middle of a pack
“The riskiest time is actually in the first week”
58 per cent believe that some antibiotics reduce the pill's effectiveness
“Certain antibiotics can reduce the pill’s effectiveness, especially those for tuberculosis and meningitis. However, most of the commonly used antibiotics such as Penicillins do not effect the pill (unless they cause you to have vomiting or bad diarrhoea). The patient information leaflet that comes with your antibiotics will tell you whether it interacts with the pill. If it does, then you either need to avoid having sex whilst you are taking the antibiotics or use another form of contraception for the week you are taking the antibiotic and for the following week. If you are unsure, ask your doctor for advice.”
91 per cent believe it is safe to use the pill to manipulate your period cycle
“If you are taking the combined pill then it is safe to run up to three packs together to avoid up to two periods, however you should avoid taking more than three packs in a row as it can give you some unpleasant side effects. There is also prescription medication available that can manage your periods.”
26 per cent think the pill makes you gain weight
“There is no evidence that the pill causes weight gain but some women may notice a change in their appetite or fluid retention. There are many different types of pill available so if the one you are taking does not suit you, one of the doctors at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor can discuss alternative options with you.
One in five think that using contraceptive pills may mean it's harder to get pregnant when they do want to try
“There is no evidence that taking the pill for any length of time affects fertility”
tagged in Health Sexual Health Women's Health