What is the minipill?
The minipill is a medicine for women to prevent unwanted pregnancy. They are also known as contraceptives. In contrast to the combined pill, the conventional “contraceptive pill”, the minipill is a progestin-only preparation, so the minipill contains no estrogen. The minipill is recommended for women who do not tolerate preparations containing estrogen. There are also other indications for choosing this hormonal contraceptive.
Active ingredient and effect
There are already several generations of the minipill, all of which are characterized by the absence of estrogen. They differ in their progestogen derivatives. The most commonly used preparations are minipills with levonorgestrel or the newer desogestrel preparations.
Levonorgestrel works by changing the lining of the uterus. This prevents a fertilized egg from implanting itself in the lining of the uterus. Levonorgestrel also thickens the cervical mucus, which prevents sperm from entering the uterus and fertilization from taking place.
Desogestrel also prevents ovulation. Levonorgestrel preparations must be taken at exactly the same time every day to ensure contraceptive protection. Levonorgestrel is also found in high doses in the “morning-after pill”, an emergency contraceptive for unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure.
Differences between the minipill and the “regular pill
The conventional contraceptive pill or simply “pill” is also a hormonal contraceptive. Unlike the minipill, however, the active ingredient is a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin. The minipill and its substitutes contain only the hormone progestin.
The minipill has a lower dosage and is recommended as an estrogen-free variant, especially for women who cannot tolerate combination preparations well. However, side effects can also occur when using the minipill. The minipill must be taken at the same time every day to ensure complete safety.
This applies especially to the minipill with the progestin levonorgestrel. The contraceptive safety of the minipill is high and can be compared with that of the conventional combined pill. The minipill is also recommended for women who have an increased risk of thrombosis, such as smokers. The minipill can also be used by nursing mothers.
