What is Microgynon?

The combined oral contraceptive pill, often referred to as the birth control pill or colloquially as "the pill", is a type of birth control that is designed to be taken orally by women. It includes a combination of an estrogen and a progestogen. A woman takes it to prevent pregnancy.

Microgynon contains two types of female sex hormones – estrogen and progestogen. The hormones stop you getting pregnant by preventing the release of an egg from the ovaries, my making the fluid in your cervix thicker to make it more difficult for sperm to enter the womb, and by preventing the lining of your womb to thicken enough for an egg to grow in it.

Microgynon is a 21-day pill. You have to take one pill for 21 days, followed by 7 days with no pills.

How does Microgynon work?

Microgynon tablets contain two active ingredients – ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel, the synthetic versions of the naturally occurring female sex hormones – estrogen and progesterone.

Combined oral contraceptives like Microgynon work by over-riding your normal menstrual cycle. A woman’s menstrual cycle is normally characterized by changing levels of sex hormones. The hormones cause the release of an egg from the ovaries and prepare the lining of the womb for a possible pregnancy. At the end of each menstrual cycle, if an egg has not been fertilized the level of the hormones fall, resulting in the shedding of the womb lining as a monthly period.

The daily dose of hormones in the pill works by making your body think that ovulation has already happened, preventing an egg from ripening and being released from the ovaries every month.

The hormones also increase the thickness of the mucus at the neck of the womb, making it more difficult for sperm to cross from the vagina into the womb and fertilize an egg. They also change the quality of the womb lining, making it less conducive for a fertilized egg to be implanted there.

What are the benefits of using Microgynon?

The benefits of taking Microgynon include the following:

• It is one of the most reliable methods of contraception that is reversible when correctly used.
• It does not interrupt sexual activity.
• It makes the menstrual period regular, lighter, and less painful.
• It may help with pre-menstrual symptoms.

Microgynon does not protect you against sexually transmitted infections. Only condoms can do this.