Yasmin

Yasmin is a combined contraceptive pill. It’s a reliable way to prevent pregnancy when taken correctly.

Other benefits of taking Yasmin can be lighter, less painful and more regular periods, fewer premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and a reduction in acne.

Find out more about our contraceptive pill service.

Yasmin is a hormonal contraceptive pill used to help prevent pregnancy.

It can also be used to help improve acne. One of the active ingredients in Yasmin, drospirenone, has proved to be helpful in reducing the number of androgens in the body (male sex hormones). In turn, this lowers the production of sebum and can result in fewer spots.

Find out more about our Acne treatment service.

Yasmin is known as a combined contraceptive pill. It contains two active ingredients: 0.03mg ethinylestradiol and 3mg drospirenone, which are man-made versions of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

This combination works to prevent pregnancy in three ways: it stops eggs being released from the ovaries, makes the cervical fluid thicker and the womb lining thinner. This makes it harder for sperm to reach and fertilise any eggs and for an egg to implant in the womb.

Each pack of Yasmin contains 21 pills, marked with the days of the week to help you keep track. In order for Yasmin to be effective, you must take a pill each day at around the same time until you finish the pack.

Top tip: try setting an alarm on your phone to help you remember to take it each day at the same time.

Once you’ve finished the pack of 21 pills, take a break for seven days. You’ll probably start to bleed after a couple of days into this break. This is normal and is known as a ‘withdrawal bleed’, which is much like a period. After the break, start the next strip of 21 pills regardless of the timing of your withdrawal bleed.

Each film-coated tablet contains 3mg drospirenone and 0.03mg ethinylestradiol.

When used perfectly, without missing any pills, the chance of becoming pregnant is less than 1% (i.e. <1 pregnancy per 100 women in their first year of use). Typical failure rates are actually 5% in the first year. The chance of becoming pregnant increases with each missed pill during a menstrual cycle.

If you forget to take your pill, or have a sickness with diarrhoea or vomiting, you’re at risk of pregnancy. Find out more about what to do if you miss your pill.

Taking emergency contraception (the morning after pill) can also impact the effectiveness of Yasmin.

When you begin taking Yasmin, as your body gets used to the new hormonal balance, you might experience some side effects.

Common side effects include:

• Nausea
• Stomach ache
• Breast tenderness
• Mood changes
• Unusual vaginal bleeding between periods

These side effects should settle down within three months. If they don’t or are seriously impacting you, please contact us through your online patient record.

Also contact us if you experience vaginal bleeding after sex or a significant change to your bleeding pattern that doesn’t settle within six weeks.

There are some very rare but serious side effects: blood clots, heart attack and stroke. Please make sure your blood pressure is under 140/90 before you start taking Yasmin and check it annually while taking the pill. You should also aim to maintain a normal weight with a body mass index (BMI) under 35. These will help to reduce the risk of the more serious side effects.

For more information on Yasmin’s side effects, please read the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with your pill.

Yasmin has a slightly higher risk of blood clots than other pills and would therefore not be our first recommendation if there are other suitable pills.

You should not take Yasmin while pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking Yasmin, stop taking it immediately.

Do not take Yasmin while breastfeeding in the first 6 weeks after giving birth.

Please make sure to let us know of any other medicines you’re taking, whether prescribed or bought over the counter, so we can prescribe the contraceptive pill if suitable for you.

Yasmin is not recommended if you’re aged over 35 and smoke, have a BMI above 35 or if you have certain medical conditions. Please ensure you declare your full medical history so we can ensure we prescribe safely for you.

There are several different contraceptive pills available: combined pills, like Yasmin, and progesterone-only pills (known as the mini pill). The mini pill can be better suited to some people who experience ongoing side effects from the combined pill. Get in touch via your online patient record to explore the different options available to you.

Find out more about contraceptive pills.

You may also want to consider other forms of contraception, many of which are long acting such as implants, coils (hormonal or copper) or injections. These can normally be accessed through your GP service or local family planning clinic.

Barrier methods of contraception, such as male or female condoms, work by helping to block sperm, preventing it from reaching and fertilising an egg. Speak to your regular GP or sexual health centre about barrier contraception. You can also buy condoms from your local pharmacy.

You can buy Yasmin contraceptive pills online from Boots Online Doctor. No need to wait for an appointment or speak to anyone directly. Simply fill out our quick online questionnaire and one of our friendly clinicians will prescribe Yasmin if suitable for you.

Find out more about our contraceptive pill service.

Some women have reported gaining weight while taking a combined contraceptive pill such as Yasmin. However, there is only limited evidence and no link has been found showing the pill directly causes weight loss.

If you do feel like you’re gaining weight while taking Yasmin, it’s likely to only be temporary and related to water retention from hormonal changes rather than actual weight gain.

Mood swings can be one of the side effects some women experience while taking Yasmin. These should settle down within three months as your body adjusts to the pill. If they don’t, please see your GP or contact us through your online patient record. We may be able to suggest another pill for you to try.

If you’re starting the pill for the first time, taking it during the first five days of your period should protect you from pregnancy immediately. You’ll need to use condoms or avoid sex for the first seven days if you start taking Yasmin at any other point in your cycle.

If you take Yasmin packs back-to-back then it will delay or prevent you from experiencing a period (withdrawal bleed). We’d only recommend doing this for a maximum of three packs in a row so you don’t start experiencing breakthrough bleeding.

If you’d like something specifically to delay your period, find out what treatments we offer.

No, Yasmin is a contraceptive pill that only works to stop pregnancy. It does not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STI). If you have more than one sexual partner, you should also use barrier contraception like condoms to help stop the transmission of STIs.

It’s also a good idea to have regular STI screening. You can do this at home with our easy-to-use STI testing kits.