Cilique
"A highly effective combined contraceptive pill, with two hormones (ethinylestradiol and norgestimate) working to reduce your chance of pregnancy. You’ll need an annual blood pressure and weight check to take it."
What is Cilique?
Cilique is a combined oral contraceptive pill that’s 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, when taken correctly.
How does it work?
The Cilique contraceptive pill contains two hormones (ethinylestradiol and norgestimate) which:
- Stop your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
- Thickens the mucus in the cervix to make it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg.
- Thins the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself.
How to use Cilique
Most women choose to take one daily Cilique pill for 21 days, with a 4 or 7 day break before starting the next pack. You’re likely to have a withdrawal bleed during this break. However, there are other ways to take Cilique.
- Continuous use is taking one Cilique pill daily without a break.
- Tricycling is where you take a daily pill for 9 weeks without a break (three packs of pills). After these 9 weeks you take a 4 or 7 day break, then start the cycle again.
- Flexible extended use means taking one pill daily for at least 21 days. If you experience heavier bleeds and would rather have a shorter bleed window, you can take a 4-day break instead of 7. On day 5 start taking the pill daily again, and continue for at least 21 days without another break.
Our clinicians will let you know which way to take Cilique is best for you.
Effectiveness
When taken correctly, Cilique is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In cases where it’s not taken exactly as prescribed, it can lead to pregnancy for around 9 out of 100 women. So it’s important to follow advice and instructions.
If you’re vomiting or have severe diarrhoea while taking this pill, you may not be protected against pregnancy. If you can have sex, you should use condoms along with continuing to take the pill as usual. If the vomiting continues for more than 24 hours, follow the same steps as you would for a missed pill.
Important: you should only start taking Cilique if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.
Side effects of Cilique
It’s not common to get side effects from Cilique, but for some women these can include irregular bleeding, period pain, feeling sick, headaches, dizziness, diarrhoea or vomiting.
This pill carries a slightly higher risk of blood clots than others. In rare cases some women will develop them.
For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Cilique patient information leaflet. And if you’re worried about side effects, you can contact us in your Patient Record.
Product features
99% effective when taken correctly
Contains two hormones
Usually taken daily for 21 days followed by a 7-day break
What is Cilique?
Cilique is a combined oral contraceptive pill that’s 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, when taken correctly.
How does it work?
The Cilique contraceptive pill contains two hormones (ethinylestradiol and norgestimate) which:
- Stop your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
- Thickens the mucus in the cervix to make it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg.
- Thins the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself.
How to use Cilique
Most women choose to take one daily Cilique pill for 21 days, with a 4 or 7 day break before starting the next pack. You’re likely to have a withdrawal bleed during this break. However, there are other ways to take Cilique.
- Continuous use is taking one Cilique pill daily without a break.
- Tricycling is where you take a daily pill for 9 weeks without a break (three packs of pills). After these 9 weeks you take a 4 or 7 day break, then start the cycle again.
- Flexible extended use means taking one pill daily for at least 21 days. If you experience heavier bleeds and would rather have a shorter bleed window, you can take a 4-day break instead of 7. On day 5 start taking the pill daily again, and continue for at least 21 days without another break.
Our clinicians will let you know which way to take Cilique is best for you.
Effectiveness
When taken correctly, Cilique is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In cases where it’s not taken exactly as prescribed, it can lead to pregnancy for around 9 out of 100 women. So it’s important to follow advice and instructions.
If you’re vomiting or have severe diarrhoea while taking this pill, you may not be protected against pregnancy. If you can have sex, you should use condoms along with continuing to take the pill as usual. If the vomiting continues for more than 24 hours, follow the same steps as you would for a missed pill.
Important: you should only start taking Cilique if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.
Side effects of Cilique
It’s not common to get side effects from Cilique, but for some women these can include irregular bleeding, period pain, feeling sick, headaches, dizziness, diarrhoea or vomiting.
This pill carries a slightly higher risk of blood clots than others. In rare cases some women will develop them.
For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Cilique patient information leaflet. And if you’re worried about side effects, you can contact us in your Patient Record.
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Cilique FAQs
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How long does Cilique take to work?
If you start taking Cilique on days 1-5 of your period, this should give you immediate protection against pregnancy.
However, if you start Cilique after day one and you have a short or irregular menstrual cycle, you’ll need to use extra contraception like condoms for 7 days if you have sex. Your clinician can advise on this.
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Can I take Cilique while breastfeeding?
If you’re breastfeeding, we advise against taking combined contraceptive pills like Cilique for 6 weeks after giving birth because it can reduce milk supply and may also put you at greater risk of blood clots.
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What if I miss my Cilique pill?
If you miss one pill at any point in your pack or start a new pack 1 day late, you’re still protected from pregnancy.
Here’s what to do:
- Take the missed pill as soon as possible, even if it means taking 2 pills on the same day.
- Continue taking the remaining pills at your regular schedule.
- If you normally have a pill-free break, stick to your usual timing.
If you’ve missed two or more pills (over 48 hours late), your contraceptive protection may be reduced.
Follow these steps:
- Take the most recent missed pill right away, even if it means taking 2 pills in one day.
- Skip any other earlier missed pills.
- Use additional contraception, like condoms, for the next 7 days.
- Continue with your pack as normal.
- You may need emergency contraception if you have had unprotected sex after missing pills
When you finish the pack after missing pills:
- If there are 7+ pills left in your pack: Finish the pack as usual and take your 7-day pill-free break as planned.
- If fewer than 7 pills are left in your pack: Skip the pill-free break and start a new pack immediately.
You may need emergency contraception if:
- You’ve had unprotected sex after missing pills.
- You had unprotected sex in the 7 days before the missed pills.
Our clinicians can prescribe emergency contraception, if it’s safe to do so.
For full details of correct use and what to do if you miss a pill, please see the Cilique patient information leaflet. If you need more advice you can contact us in your Patient Record.
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Where can I buy Cilique?
As this pill is prescription only you’ll need to be approved by a clinician before you can buy the treatment, even if you’re using an online service.
We can prescribe Cilique for you online, for discreet delivery or you can pick it up at a Well pharmacy. To make sure it’s safe for you, we'll ask you a few questions including your height, weight and blood pressure.
Start an online consultation. It’s completely confidential and only takes a few minutes.
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Does Cilique cause weight gain?
There’s little evidence that taking Cilique will cause you to put on weight. Weight changes during your cycle could be due to fluid retention, or other reasons that aren’t related to the pill.
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Cilique warnings
Taking combined contraceptives can increase your blood pressure, which can be dangerous. So, before starting any combined contraceptive, you need to get your blood pressure checked. Followed by an annual check for as long as you’re taking the pill.
As part of your consultation, we’ll ask you if you’ve had your blood pressure checked recently, or checked it yourself at home using a blood pressure monitor. This information is required before we can prescribe combined contraceptives like Cilique.
If you’re vomiting or have severe diarrhoea, Cilique may not protect you against pregnancy. You should carry on taking the tablets as normal, but also use condoms for the next seven days. If these seven days run beyond the end of your current blister strip, start the next pack without taking a break.
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Cilique drug interactions
You should be able to take Cilique alongside other medications. So that our clinicians can prescribe it safely, you’ll need to let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you’re taking regularly.
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Alternative Cilique contraception
A combined pill like Cilique is just one of a wide range of contraceptives we can advise you on and prescribe. These include NuvaRing, Evra Patch, the contraceptive injection, combined pills and progestogen only pills.
See our full contraception range here.
You can also get long-acting contraceptives through your GP or family planning clinic. These include the coil, implants, and contraceptive injections.
