What are progestin-only oral contraceptives?
Progestin-only oral contraceptives – commonly called the “minipill’ – are different from combined birth control pills in that they contain only one hormone (progestin) instead of two (progestin and estrogen). How do they work? Minipills may prevent pregnancy in several ways. Like combined pills, they can prevent a woman’s body from releasing an egg during her monthly menstrual cycle. However, they do not have this effect during every menstrual cycle. Minipills also thicken a woman’s cervical mucus (the substance at the opening of the womb), making it harder for sperm to reach and fertilize the egg. How effective are minipills? Up to 7% of minipill users get pregnant each year during typical use. How are minipills taken? You take one pill every day, just as with combined pills. However, you should take the minipill at the same time every day; varying the time by even a few hours greatly increases the risk of getting pregnant. Many believe the best time of day to take minipills is late a
