What is the Yaz pill?

Yaz is a combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP). It’s a cyclical pill you take at the same time every day to get the most out of the treatment. There are two synthetic hormones in it that adjust the menstrual cycle and stop the body from releasing an egg for fertilization.^[1]

A pack of Yaz pills contains 24 active and four inactive pills. The four inactive pills are spacers (pills without any active ingredient), which you take until you’re ready for the next pack. That way you keep up the habit of taking a pill at the same time each day.

How does Yaz work?

There are two hormones in Yaz tablets: drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol. These are very similar to progesterone and estrogen, hormones that naturally occur in your body.

As part of the menstrual cycle, these natural hormone levels rise and fall, kickstarting ovulation (the release of an egg) and other processes.

Yaz uses hormones to trick the body into thinking that ovulation has already happened, so no egg is released. These hormones also stop the wall of the uterus from getting thicker, which makes it more difficult for a fertilized egg to settle there. They also change the consistency of cervical fluid, so sperm can’t reach the egg in the unlikely event the first two methods have failed.^[2]

How to take Yaz

Yaz needs to be taken at the same time each day. To help you to get into the habit of doing this, taking it as soon as you wake or during a meal you have at the same time each day are handy tips for remembering when to take it. Yaz can be taken with or without food.

Each blister pack contains 28 pills. The 24 light pink pills contain the active ingredients and are taken once a day for 24 days of the cycle. This is followed by four inactive white pills taken for four days. After you’ve taken the fourth inactive pill, you start a new pack the next day.

What to do if you miss an Yaz pill

It’s important to remember that missed pills lead to an increased risk of getting pregnant. If you miss one light pink pill, take it as soon as you remember. This can mean taking two pills on the same day. You don’t need to use any back-up birth control in these circumstances.

If you miss two light pink pills in a row in week one or week two, you need to take two pills on the day you remember and then take another two pills the next day. You will need to use a barrier contraceptive (e.g. condoms) for seven days.

If you miss two light pink pills in a row in week three or week four of your pack, and you started taking Yaz on the first day of your period, discard the rest of the pack and start a new one that day. If you miss two light pink pills in a row in week three or week four of your pack, and you started taking Yaz on a Sunday, keep taking one pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, discard the entire pack and start a new one.

What is the effectiveness rate for Yaz?

Combined birth control pills like Yaz are more than 99% effective as long as they’re taken correctly.^[1] This means that out of 100 women taking Yaz over one year, fewer than one will become pregnant. That makes it one of the most effective methods of birth control available.

With “typical” use, which takes into account forgetting the odd pill every now and then, effectiveness is reduced to around 92%. That’s eight out of every 100 women becoming pregnant over one year of taking Yaz.^[1]