Contraceptive patch
PROS/CONS
Pros
It’s easy to put on and remove and only needs to be changed once a week.
Is 91% effective at preventing pregnancy with typical use.
Periods may become lighter.
Can help reduce period pain.
Upon discontinuation of use, fertility should return to normal.
Using your contraceptive patch correctly means you don't need to worry about contraception in the moment.
Can help with acne in some people.
Self-administered.
Cons
It needs to be changed weekly and keeping track of the number of weeks used.
It may cause disrupted periods. For example, you may experience bleeding between your periods (breakthrough bleeding) and spotting (very light irregular bleeding).
You need to apply it weekly.
Some women prefer hormone free options.
Cannot be used when breastfeeding.
Does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
It may cause weight gain.
It may cause breast tenderness.
Some women experience mood changes, including mood swings, depression, or depressed mood.
The pros and cons listed are not exhaustive. Talk to your doctor or nurse for more information.
SIDE EFFECTS
Patch side effects
The patch may cause disrupted periods, either in the form of irregular bleeding (spotting or breakthrough bleeding), or regular, lighter periods. During the first few cycles of using the patch, bleeding between periods (breakthrough bleeding) and spotting (very light, irregular bleeding) is common.
The contraceptive patch may cause some women to gain weight. One reason for this is that the patch may cause you to retain more water than normal.
Like other forms of hormonal birth control, the contraceptive patch may cause you to experience mood swings.
Acne can be a side effect of using the contraceptive patch. However, some women may find that their acne improves whilst using combined hormonal contraceptives like the patch.
-
Skin irritation
-
Breast tenderness or pain
-
Menstrual pain
-
Headaches/migraine
-
Nausea or vomiting
-
Abdominal pain
-
Dizziness
-
Diarrhoea
-
Muscle spasms
-
Vaginal infections and discharge
-
Fatigue
-
Fluid retention
-
Blood clots - A very small number of people using the patch may develop a blood clot in a vein or an artery. Don't use the patch if you've had a blood clot before.
-
Breast cancer - Research suggests that people who use the contraceptive patch have a small increased risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared with those who don't. But this reduces with time after stopping the patch.
-
Cervical cancer - Research also suggests there's a small increase in the risk of developing cervical cancer with long-term use of combined hormonal contraception such as the combined pill, patch and ring.
PP-UN-WHC-GB-0079 September 2023
