Cerelle is a mini pill that protects you from pregnancy. It has a 12 hour missed pill window (rather than three hours), so if you forget to take it, you’ve got a little more breathing space.
Talk to us to get pill recommendations and find the birth control that’s right for you. Order Cerelle online and change, pause or cancel your subscription anytime.
Cerelle is a contraceptive pill with only one hormone in it: desogestrel. It’s just a type of progesterone that prevents pregnancy by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg. Without an egg, there’s nothing for a sperm to fertilise. It also makes the fluid in the cervix thicker, which makes it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg.
Cerelle is a pill of many names. Sometimes it’s referred to as the mini pill. Sometimes it’s referred to as the progestogen-only pill, or POP.
The combined contraceptive pill is used more widely than the mini pill, but the oestrogen in it isn’t suitable for all women. This is where birth control like Cerelle comes in. Because it’s a progesterone only pill, it’s ideal for women who are more sensitive to or can’t take oestrogen.
Your body prepares itself for pregnancy each month. When you ovulate, the ovary releases an egg which travels to the uterus. If the egg is fertilised by sperm, it embeds itself in the uterine wall, and starts to develop. If the egg isn’t fertilised, you don’t fall pregnant.
Ovulation is triggered by hormones in the body. Hormones cause other things to happen during this time too, such as making the uterine wall thicker, creating a better environment for a fertilised egg to grow there.
The body contains the naturally occurring hormones progesterone and oestrogen. Adding desogestrel, the hormone in Cerelle, to these existing hormones changes the hormonal balance slightly. Cerelle stops ovulation from happening, and thickens the mucus in the cervix, preventing sperm from being able to reach an egg very easily.
If you take it properly, Cerelle is over 99% effective. So out of 100 women taking Cerelle over the course of one year, fewer than one will get pregnant. This is called ‘perfect use’.
But if you forget a pill from time to time or don’t take it when you should, it’s not quite as effective. Around 91%. So for every 100 women taking it over a 12-month period, nine will become pregnant. This is what’s known as ‘typical use’.
In short - the less mistakes you make with it, the lower your pregnancy risk.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Cerelle comes in strips of 28 pills, each pill marked with the day of the week alongside it and arrows which you should follow. Take one pill at the same time every day, with no breaks between one strip and the next.
Swallow each pill whole with water.
If you take your first Cerelle pill on the first day of your period, you’ll get immediate protection from pregnancy. You can start taking Cerelle on days two to five of your cycle, but you’ll need to use additional contraception such as condoms for the first seven days.
You may experience some bleeding when you’re using Cerelle, but just keep taking the pills as normal. Most women notice that their periods stop or become very light and infrequent when taking Cerelle, which can be an added benefit and is perfectly safe.
When you’ve reached the end of a strip, start a new strip the following day, without waiting for a bleed.
If you miss a pill - don’t worry. Follow the guidance in the information leaflet that comes with your treatment.
If you’re less than 12 hours late in taking a pill, take it as soon as you remember and take any pills that follow at the usual time. Your protection from pregnancy isn’t affected.
If more than 12 hours have passed since you took a pill, you’ve been sick, or you have diarrhoea, you may be at higher risk of getting pregnant. Take the pill you missed as soon as you can, even if it means taking two pills on the same day. If you’ve missed more than one pill, you only need to take the pill you missed most recently. Then take any pills after that as normal. You’ll need to use extra contraception, such as condoms, for the next seven days, as your protection from pregnancy has been affected.
If you want to come off Cerelle, talk to us first before you stop taking it. You’ll no longer be protected from pregnancy once you’ve stopped.
If you’re having periods, you may want to wait until you’ve got to the end of your current strip before you stop taking it, so you can stick with a regular cycle.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
The progestogen-only pill - Your contraception guide. NHS.
Contraception: Do hormonal contraceptives cause weight gain?
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Mini pills: Here are some other options.
Probably the most well-known brand of mini pill. 12 hour leeway if you're late taking it.
Desogestrel-based mini pill, very similar to Zelleta, Cerelle and Cerazette.
Similar to Cerazette, Zelleta and Cerelle, but you don't need a prescription for it.
Desogestrel pill that works just like Cerazette and Cerelle, but doesn't need a prescription.
Slightly different type of mini pill that contains levonorgestrel, and comes in strips of 35.
Norethisterone-based alternative. 3 hour window if you're late taking it.
Same hormone and same dose as Cerazette and Cerelle. 12 hour window if you're late taking it.
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