CONTRACEPTIVE

PATCH

PROS

Easy to use

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It’s easy to put on and remove and only needs to be changed once a week.

Effective

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Is 91% effective at preventing pregnancy with typical use.

Periods

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Periods may become lighter.

Reversible

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Upon discontinuation of use, fertility should return to normal.

Doesn’t interrupt sex

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Using your contraceptive patch correctly means you don't need to worry about contraception in the moment.

Administration

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Self-administered.

CONS

User dependent

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It needs to be changed weekly and keeping track of the number of weeks used.

Periods

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It may cause disrupted periods. For example, you may experience bleeding between your periods (breakthrough bleeding) and spotting (very light irregular bleeding).

Short-acting

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You need to apply it weekly.

Contains hormones

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Some women prefer hormone free options.

Breastfeeding

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Cannot be used when breastfeeding.

STIs

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Does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Weight gain

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It may cause weight gain.

Breast tenderness

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It may cause breast tenderness.

Mood

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Some women experience mood changes, including mood swings, depression, or depressed mood.

WILL THE PATCH AFFECT MY PERIODS?

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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.

WILL I PUT ON WEIGHT IF I USE THE PATCH?

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The contraceptive patch may cause some women to gain weight.

CAN THE PATCH CAUSE MOOD SWINGS?

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Like other forms of hormonal birth control, the contraceptive patch may cause you to experience mood swings.

DOES THE PATCH AFFECT ACNE?

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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.

OTHER COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
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• 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
RISKS
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• Blood clots
  - A 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.
• Liver cancer
  - Rare cases liver tumours which are not cancer have been found in women taking combined hormonal contraceptives. Even more rarely, liver tumours, which are cancer have been found.