A practical guide to contraception. Part 1: Contraceptive pills and vaginal rings

The shorter-acting contraceptives – the combined hormonal methods (combined oral contraceptives and the vaginal ring) and the progestogen-only pill – are discussed in this first article in a three-part series on contraception. Other contraceptive methods will be discussed in subsequent articles.

Correction A correction for this article was published in the August 2013 issue of Medicine Today. The full text PDF of this article (see link above) has been corrected.

Key Points

Combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs), which contain an oestrogen and a progestogen, are available as combined contraceptive pills and the vaginal ring.
The advantages of CHCs include beneficial effects on acne, decrease in menstrual pain and bleeding and the ability to manipulate menstrual cycles.
CHC use is associated with some serious risks but the absolute risk is low for most women of reproductive age.
No serious risks have been associated with use of the progestogen-only pill, although evidence is limited.
The option of long-acting reversible contraceptives (intrauterine devices and subdermal implants) should be discussed with women renewing CHC scripts.
Contraceptive methods requiring consistent action (condoms and pills) are less effective than long-acting methods requiring minimal ongoing action on the part of the user (implants and intrauterine devices).

Sunday 5 July 2026

A practical guide to contraception. Part 1: Contraceptive pills and vaginal rings

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