Minipil

Take one pill every day at the same time.

A breastfeeding woman can start Norgestrel 6 weeks after delivery. A woman who is not breastfeeding can start it after delivery. Other women should start Norgestrel within the first 5 days of menstruation.

Norgestrel contains only one hormone, so take special care when using it, especially if you are partially breastfeeding or not breastfeeding. Take one pill at the same time each day. Start the new packet the very next day after you finish all the pills in the current one. There should be no gap between two packets.

If you miss a dose and are more than 3 hours late taking this medicine, use a back-up method of birth control, or a condom, for 2 days. Take the next dose at your regular time. The risk of getting pregnant goes up if you miss 2 doses in a row. In that case, use a condom or another non-hormonal back-up method instead of taking the pill. Norgestrel should then be started from the first day of the next menstrual cycle. If your period does not come 4 to 6 weeks after you stop the pill, see a doctor.

Norgestrel is highly effective during the period of breastfeeding. Once the baby is 6 months old and takes other foods along with breast milk, a low dose pill other than Norgestrel can be used. Any combined pill can be taken at this stage, and a combined pill controls the menstrual cycle very effectively.