This guideline advises that ‘Zoely’, a new COC, is now available. It is a little different to other pills in having 24 days of active pills and only 4 days of inactive pills, giving a 4 day pill-free interval. It adds to our contraceptive armoury, rather than being otherwise very different. I’ve summarised the main things to know, but always advise women to read the leaflet. The missed pill routine is different to other pills.
Risks – as for other COC. Use the UKMEC Criteria to judge safety of use.
Efficacy – similar to other pills.
Cost – £5.50 a month (other pills range from £0.63 to £8.39)
Side-effects – similar to other pills. The main reasons for stopping are weight gain, acne and bleeding patterns. You can advise women that break through bleeding is likely to settle in time.
Advantages – may improve acne, lighter withdrawal bleeds compared to some pills and 30% of cycles will have an absent bleed.
Starting routine – as for other COC pills.
Missed Pill Routine – this varies depending on where in the pack the woman is. If she is more than 12 hrs late, she needs to do something, so she should read the leaflet to see what to do. It’s too detailed to summarise here, but you can have a quick read of that bit of the guideline.