What is Sayana Press?

Sayana Press is a contraceptive you inject every 12-13 weeks (about 3 months). It’s a highly effective, long-term way to prevent pregnancy.

How does it work?

The Sayana Press injection is a progesterone-only contraceptive that can prevent pregnancy by:

• Stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
• Thickening the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for sperm to reach an egg.
• Thinning the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself. 

How to use Sayana Press

We can only prescribe the Sayana Press contraceptive injection if you’ve used it before and a healthcare professional has shown you how to inject it. They should have taken you through the following instructions:

• Always store it at room temperature and check that the pouch isn’t damaged or past its expiry date before using.
• You inject Sayana Press yourself at home, into your stomach or thigh. Avoid your belly button and bony areas, such as your hips, and try to inject a different spot each time.
• When you open the pouch, check that the needle has a shield. There should also be a gap between the needle and the port. If the gap isn’t there, or you notice any damage, discard the needle and open a new one.
• Wash your hands and clean the area you’re going to inject.
• Hold the device by the port and shake it for 30 seconds. This should mix it to look evenly white. If it isn’t, throw the needle away and try a new one. If there is a delay before injecting, you must repeat the mixing step.
• Hold the injector firmly by the port, making sure the needle shield is pointing upwards. Take care not to squeeze the reservoir.  Hold the needle shield with the other hand.  Push the needle shield firmly towards the port until it will go no further. The injector is now activated. Pull the needle shield off, and discard it when you’re ready to inject.
• When ready to inject, pinch the area of skin you’re going to inject and keep pinched throughout this step. Insert the needle until the port touches your skin.
• Slowly squeeze the container for about seven seconds to ensure all the medicine is injected, keep pinched throughout this step. There may be small amount of medicine left around the inside of the reservoir. This is normal.
• Pull the needle out and apply gentle pressure to that point on your skin with a clean cotton pad or tissue, to help stop bleeding.
• Dispose of the needle as advised by the healthcare provider who showed you how to inject.   

Effectiveness

If used correctly, Sayana Press is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

Sayana Press won’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia or HIV. Only condoms can help with this.

Important: you should only inject yourself with Sayana Press if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.

Side effects of Sayana Press

As with all medications, some women may experience side effects when using Sayana Press. Common side effects, which may affect up to 1 in 10 women, include:

• Weight gain
• Stomach cramps
• Feeling sick
• Acne
• No period or a very light period
• Heavy, frequent and/or unexpected bleeding
• Irregular periods
• Period pain
• Breast pain and tenderness
• Back and/or limb pain
• Tiredness
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood changes
• Pain and/or soreness around the injection site
• Difficulty sleeping
• Low sex drive  

Uncommon side effects, which may affect up to 1 in 100 women, include:

• Excessive hair growth (hirsutism)
• Bloating
• Fluid retention
• Vaginal discharge
• Vaginal dryness
• Pain during sex
• Pelvic pain
• Change in appetite
• Muscle cramps
• Migraine
• Vertigo
• Hot flushes
• High blood pressure
• Rash
• Itching
• Hair loss
• Loss of bone mineral density (a test used to diagnose osteoporosis or weak bones) 

For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Sayana Press patient information leaflet. And if you’re worried about side effects, you can contact us in your Patient Record.