Ocella®

What is Ocella

Combined birth control tablets like Ocella contain two hormones, synthetic versions of progesterone and estrogen, which are found naturally in your body. Drospirenone is the name of the progesterone in Ocella, and ethinyl estradiol is the estrogen.

A pack of Ocella contains 28 pills which you’ll take in repeating 28-day cycles. For the first 21 days of your cycle you’ll take one yellow “active” pill every day, followed by one “inactive” white pill for each of the last seven. The white pills don’t contain any hormones, but help keep you in the habit of taking your pill every day.

How does Ocella work?

The hormones in Ocella stop you getting pregnant by preventing ovulation. They inhibit the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which prevents the mid-cycle surge in LH and stops the follicle in your ovaries from developing. Essentially, without a developed follicle, or a surge in luteinizing hormones to release it, you won’t ovulate.^[1]

They also cause your cervical mucus to thicken, and reduce the motility of your fallopian tubes (which is essential for an egg to pass through). Ocella causes the lining of your uterus to thicken less, as well.^[2] This means it should be more difficult for any egg that makes it through to implant into the uterine wall – but there’s no actual proof of this as of now.^[1]

While the inclusion of synthetic estrogen helps a little to stop you getting pregnant, the main reason it’s added is to regulate any unscheduled bleeding while using oral contraceptives.^[2]

What doses does Ocella come in?

There’s only one dose of Ocella, with each pill containing 3mg of drospirenone and 0.03 mg of ethinyl estradiol. A pack of Ocella also comes with seven inactive white tablets to help you stick to a daily routine – but these don’t contain any active ingredients.

How to take Ocella

Take one Ocella pill at around the same time every day, with a drink. You’ll use Ocella in 28-day cycles, taking one yellow pill for the first 21 days, and then white pills for the last week.

You have a couple of options when it comes to starting Ocella:

• Take your first yellow Ocella pill on the first day of your period. Then, continue with your 28-day cycle as normal. If you take your first active Ocella pill after the first 24 hours of your period, you’ll need secondary contraception (like condoms) for the first seven days of Ocella.
• Take your first yellow Ocella pill on the first Sunday after your period starts. Then continue your 28-day cycle as normal. You won’t be protected from pregnancy for the first seven days if you start Ocella this way. So you’ll need barrier contraception, such as condoms, for the first week you’re taking it.

If you’re switching from a different birth control pill, start Ocella on the same day you would have started the new pack of your previous contraception.

If you’ve recently given birth, you can start Ocella four weeks postpartum – but only if you aren’t breastfeeding. Starting Ocella any earlier puts you at a greater risk of serious blood clots.

How long does it take for Ocella to work?

If you start Ocella in the first 24 hours of your period, you’re protected from pregnancy right away. If you take your first Ocella tablets more than 24 hours after the start of your period, it’ll take seven days before you’re completely protected from pregnancy. You’ll need to use a barrier method of birth control for the first week of Ocella.

What should I do if I make a mistake taking Ocella?

You should always follow your doctor’s instructions when taking Ocella birth control pills. Accidentally taking too much Ocella shouldn’t cause any serious side effects – it typically results in symptoms like nausea, and withdrawal bleeding similar to a period. Speak to a doctor if you or someone you know accidentally takes too much Ocella, as they may need some additional monitoring.

What you should do if you miss an Ocella pill depends on how many you’ve missed, and when in your cycle you’ve missed them.

If you’ve missed one active yellow pill:

• Take the pill as soon as you remember, and take your next one at the regular time – even if this means you have to take two pills in one day. Your protection will be maintained, and you won’t need any additional birth control.

If you miss two active yellow pills in a row in either week one or week two of your 28-day cycle:

• Take two pills on the day you remember, and two the following day. Then, take one pill each day as normal. You’ll need a barrier birth control method for the seven days after your missed pills.

If you miss two active yellow pills in the third week:

• If you started on the first day of your period, throw out the rest of your current pack of Ocella and start a new one that day.
• If you started on the first Sunday after your period, keep taking a pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, throw the rest of the pack out and start a new one that day.
• You’ll need a secondary birth control method for the seven days after your missed pills.

If you miss three or more yellow active pills in the first three weeks of your 28-day cycle:

• If you started on the first day of your period, throw the rest of your current pack out and start a new pack the same day.
• If you started on the first Sunday after your period, continue taking a pill each day until Sunday. Then throw out the rest of the pack, and start your new pack of Ocella that day.
• You’ll need barrier contraception for seven days after your missed pills.