Cerelle
Cerelle
Cerelle
- Safe for most women and can be taken until menopause or age 55
- Can be 99% effective if taken as advised
- A 12-hour window to take your pill and still stay protected
What is Cerelle?
Cerelle is the generic (unbranded) version of Cerazette. It’s a progestogen-only-pill (POP) that contains a synthetic version of the hormone progestogen and is designed to prevent pregnancy.
Although the pill is a highly effective way to stop you getting pregnant, it can’t protect you against STIs (sexually transmitted infections). You can find out more about this, including tests and treatments in our article What is an STI?
How does Cerelle work?
The Cerelle mini pill has an active ingredient called desogestrel, which is a synthetic form of the natural hormone progesterone. As the medicine releases this hormone into your body, it:
- Stops you ovulating (releasing an egg) every month
- Thickens mucus in your cervix, making it hard for sperm to reach an egg
- Thins the lining of your womb, reducing the chance of an egg attaching
How effective is Cerelle?
When you start taking Cerelle tablets during days 1-5 of your menstrual cycle, you'll have immediate pregnancy protection.
The pill’s effectiveness depends on how you take it. For example:
- Perfect use: When you follow the instructions exactly, every time, Cerelle is over 99% effective. This means that fewer than 1 in 100 women will become pregnant in a year
- Typical use: If women forget to take tablets or miss them in some other way, Cerelle is about 92% effective. This means around 8 in 100 women become pregnant in a year.
Your protection can also be reduced if you're vomiting or have severe diarrhoea. That’s because your body may not fully absorb the medicine. If this happens follow the information outlined in Cerelle’s patient information leaflet.
How to take Cerelle
The Cerelle birth control pill gives you the flexibility of a 12-hour window. So to get reliable protection, just choose a set time in the day and take a Cerelle pill within 12 hours of that.
You also take the Cerelle pill continuously without any breaks.
There are 28 pills in each pack of Cerelle 75 microgram tablets and you start your next pack immediately after finishing the previous one, even during your period. Don't worry if there are changes to your bleeding pattern. This can occur, but if irregular bleeding hasn’t stopped after a few months or is particularly heavy or painful please speak to your clinician.
You can begin taking the Cerelle contraceptive pill at any point in your menstrual cycle:
- Days 1-5 of your period: You're protected immediately, so there’s no extra contraception needed
- Any other time: Use condoms for the first two days while Cerelle becomes effective
- Short cycles: You may need condoms for two days, even when starting during your period
If you’ve had a baby, you can start Cerelle:
- Within 21 days of giving birth to get immediate protection
- After 21 days you’ll need to use additional contraception such as condoms for your first 2 days
If you’ve had a miscarriage or abortion, follow the advice of your doctor or clinician and the patient information leaflet.
What to do if you miss a pill
With Cerelle you have a 12-hour window to take your pill and still stay protected. So it offers more flexibility than some other mini pills.
If you're less than 12 hours late:
- Take the missed pill as soon as you remember
- Take your next pill at the usual time (you might take two pills in one day which is safe to do)
- You'll still be protected against pregnancy without the need for additional contraception
If you're more than 12 hours late:
Your contraceptive protection will be reduced, so you'll need to:
- Take one pill as soon as you remember (even if you've missed more than one)
- Take your next pill at the usual time, which might mean taking two pills in one day
- Continue taking your remaining pills at your normal time each day
- Use condoms for the next two days. It takes this long for the pill to thicken cervical mucus enough to prevent sperm from reaching an egg
- If you've had unprotected sex since missing your pill, you may need emergency contraception
Getting emergency contraception
If you need emergency contraception, let your doctor, pharmacist or clinician know you take Cerelle as this affects which type works best for you.
If you can’t get to see your GP or go to a pharmacy, or would prefer not to, we offer the morning after pill. You just need to complete a short and confidential online consultation.
We’ve also got a useful guide on remembering to take your pill.
Who can take Cerelle?
As a POP pill Cerelle is safe for most women (including smokers) and can be taken until menopause or age 55. As it doesn't contain oestrogen, it's also suitable for many women who can't take combined contraceptive pills.
If you’re breastfeeding, this progestogen-only pill is safe to use. It won’t harm your baby or affect the way you produce your breast milk.
You shouldn't take Cerelle if you:
- Think you might already be pregnant
- Have or have had breast cancer
- Have serious liver disease, severe cirrhosis, or liver tumours
- Have had a heart attack or stroke caused by a progestogen
- Take medications that make the pill less effective
- Take certain anti-epileptic drugs (Cerelle can stop them working properly)
Cerelle may not be suitable if you have:
- Unexplained bleeding between periods or after sex
- Heart disease, blood vessel problems, or have had a stroke
- Liver conditions
- Concerns about your periods changing
If any of these conditions apply to you, speak with your doctor, nurse, or clinician about whether Cerelle is the right contraceptive choice for you.
We’ll also ask about any underlying health conditions during your online consultation.
What are the side effects of Cerelle?
Most women experience no side effects with Cerelle. But the most common change you might notice is irregular bleeding, which typically settles within the first three months as your body adjusts to the pill.
If you do get any side effects, they can include:
- Changes to your bleeding pattern, so periods may become irregular, lighter, or stop completely which isn't harmful
- Headaches or migraines
- Breast tenderness or changes in breast size
- Mood changes
- Acne
- Nausea or feeling sick
- Changes in sex drive
- Small fluid-filled cysts on your ovaries, which are usually harmless and disappear without treatment
These side effects are most likely during your first few months on Cerelle and usually improve as your body gets used to the medicine.
For full information on side effects and proper use, please see the patient information leaflet.
If any side effects are worrying you or don't settle after a few months, just send us a message via your account.
We may suggest you try a different pill or use another type of contraceptive that might suit you better.
Does Cerelle cause bleeding?
Yes, Cerelle can cause changes to your bleeding pattern, but these are generally harmless.
To quote the NHS: ‘The progestogen-only pill may change your periods. It can affect periods in different ways. Your periods may be lighter, more frequent or may stop altogether. You may get some bleeding (spotting) between periods.’
Ordering Cerelle with Online Doctor
You can order Cerelle from us after completing a short online consultation.
That way, our clinicians can make sure the medicine is right for you and safe to prescribe, or suggest alternatives.
Cerelle FAQs
Will Cerelle stop my period?
You take Cerelle every day without any breaks between packs, which means your periods will likely change.
Many women find their periods stop completely while taking Cerelle and this is perfectly normal. Others may continue to have regular periods that are often lighter and less frequent, while some experience more frequent or longer periods.
Everyone’s different though and you won't know how your body will respond until you start taking the pill. Whatever pattern develops is typically safe and expected. But if you do have any concerns, speak to your doctor or message us via your account.
You might find another one of our guides helpful too: What to do if you missed your period.
Will Cerelle affect my weight?
Some women may experience weight gain. But according to the NHS, ‘...there's not enough evidence to say whether these are caused by the progestogen-only pill.’
Can Cerelle cause blood clots?
As Cerelle doesn't contain oestrogen, current evidence suggests it doesn't increase your risk of blood clots like combined pills can. This means it can be a suitable option for women who can't take combined contraception, including:
- Women over 35 who smoke
- Women with certain types of migraines
- Women with high blood pressure
If you can't take the combined contraceptive pill due to health reasons, Cerelle could be a good alternative.
Can Cerelle cause high blood pressure?
According to the patient information leaflet, there's no indication that Cerelle causes high blood pressure. But it's important to monitor if you already have the condition and be aware of drug interactions.
With that in mind, it’s best to speak to your GP. You can also message us in your account.
Does Cerelle stop ovulation?
Cerelle’s active ingredient is desogestrel, a synthetic version of the hormone progestogen. This can stop the ovaries releasing an egg each month and help prevent pregnancy.
Does Cerelle cause anxiety?
Some women might experience mood swings, feelings of anxiety, or low mood during treatment. But not everyone does.
If you do notice any changes to your mental wellbeing while using Cerelle, it's important to speak with your doctor. They can discuss whether Cerelle might be contributing to these feelings and, if so, look at other contraceptive options.
Can I buy Cerelle over the counter or online?
You can’t buy Cerelle over the counter at pharmacies because it’s a prescription-only medicine.
But you can request and buy Cerelle by completing an online consultation through our online doctor service. If you are suitable, you can be prescribed treatment.
How do I switch to Cerelle from a different contraception?
To switch your contraceptive pill to Cerelle, you’ll need to speak to your GP or message us via your account.
If you are changing to a new pill, the usual advice is to not have a break between the packs. You might also have to use other types of contraception during the changeover.
How do I come off Cerelle?
As it says in Cerelle’s patient information leaflet, ‘You can stop taking Cerelle whenever you want. From the day you stop you are no longer protected against pregnancy.’
Safety: taking other medicines
Cerelle, as a progestogen-only pill, can interact with various medications. With that in mind, it’s important that patients let us know about the medications they are currently taking.
Alternative treatments
As well as Cerelle, you can also request contraceptives such as NuvaRing and Evra Patch, and choose from a range of combined pills, low-dose pills, and other mini pills during your consultation. These will only be prescribed if appropriate following a clinician’s review.
View all our contraception options.
Although there are long-acting contraceptives too, including implants and coils, these are only available through your GP or family planning clinic.
Condoms can also prevent pregnancy and if you're using another type of contraceptive, they also provide effective protection against STIs.
