If you start taking Ovranette on days 1-5 of your period, this should give you immediate protection against pregnancy.

However, if you start taking Ovranette after day one and you have a short or irregular menstrual cycle, you’ll need to use extra barrier contraception like condoms for 7 days if you have sex. We’ll advise you on this during your online consultation.

It’s possible to avoid having a period if you take 2 packets of Ovranette back-to-back. The pill usually makes your periods more regular, lighter and less painful. Our clinicians can advise on delaying your period using contraceptive pills.

You should always speak to a clinician before taking Ovranette, they can make sure it’s safe for you to take. Don’t take Ovranette if:

• You’re pregnant, or think you might be.
• You’re breastfeeding.
• You or anyone in your close family has ever had a problem with their blood circulation, including a blood clot anywhere in the body (thrombosis), in the legs (deep vein thrombosis), in the, lungs (pulmonary embolism), in the heart (heart attack), or in the brain (stroke).
• You have a condition that increases your risk of blood clots.
• You’re 35 years old or over and smoke 15 or more cigarettes per day.
• You have very high or uncontrolled blood pressure.
• You have an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) or a heart valve disorder.
• You get migraines that also affect your vision (with aura).
• You have diabetes that has affected your circulation.
• You have the disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• You’ve ever had liver tumours or severe liver disease and received liver function test results that are not yet back to normal.
• You have cancer that’s affected by sex hormones, like some cancers of the breast or ovary.
• You have vaginal bleeding that has not been explained by a doctor. 

There are other instances where the pill is not suitable, and our clinicians can advise on this during your online consultation.

If you’re breastfeeding, you should wait for 6 weeks after giving birth before taking Ovranette. Combined contraceptives can reduce milk supply and may also put you at greater risk of blood clots.

Ask your doctor or one of our clinicians about alternative forms of birth control. We can prescribe alternatives from a wide range of contraceptives.

Remember that breastfeeding might not stop you getting pregnant.

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 Ovranette patient information leaflet. If you need more advice you can contact us in your Patient Record.

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 Ovranette for you online, for discreet delivery or to pick up from your nearest Well pharmacy. To make sure it’s safe for you, we'll ask you a series of questions including your height, weight and blood pressure.

Start an online consultation. It’ll only take a few minutes and is completely confidential.

As with all medications, some women may experience side effects when taking Ovranette. You should talk to your doctor if you get any side effects that you think are related to Ovranette, particularly if they’re severe and persistent. This includes any side effects not listed on the patient information leaflet.

Combined contraceptives can raise your blood pressure, which can be dangerous. So, it’s important to check your blood pressure before starting the treatment, then once a year after that.

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 Ovranette.

You should be able to take Ovranette 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.

A combination pill like Ovranette 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.