Cerazette Tablets

Cerazette is a progestogen-only contraceptive pill (mini pill) containing desogestrel. It is used to prevent pregnancy and may be suitable for women who cannot take oestrogen-containing contraceptives or prefer a progestogen-only option. It is often considered for women who are breastfeeding or for those where combined hormonal contraception may not be appropriate.

Unlike traditional progestogen-only pills, Cerazette works primarily by preventing ovulation in most cycles. It also thickens cervical mucus, helping to reduce the chance of sperm reaching the egg. When taken correctly every day, Cerazette is an effective form of contraception.

Cerazette is licensed in the UK for the prevention of pregnancy and is available through an online consultation at Pharmacy Planet, subject to approval by a registered prescriber.

Cerazette is a film-coated tablet containing desogestrel 75 micrograms. Desogestrel is a synthetic progestogen. Cerazette contains no oestrogen, which is one of the features that distinguishes it from combined oral contraceptives such as Brevinor or Microgynon. It is manufactured by Organon Pharma UK Limited and is licensed in the UK for contraception in adult women.

Cerazette is available through Pharmacy Planet in two pack sizes. The 84-tablet pack provides a three-month supply, and the 168-tablet pack provides a six-month supply. Both packs contain the same 75 microgram desogestrel tablets and are taken on the same daily schedule. The difference is purely the quantity dispensed at the time of prescription.

As a Prescription Only Medicine, Cerazette cannot be purchased without a valid prescription issued by a registered clinician. This requirement exists because a clinical assessment is needed to determine whether this particular form of hormone contraception is appropriate for your health circumstances.

Primary Mechanism: Inhibiting Ovulation

Unlike older progestogen-only pills, which primarily work by thickening cervical mucus, Cerazette inhibits ovulation in the majority of cycles. Clinical studies supporting the current UK SmPC demonstrated that Cerazette suppressed ovulation in approximately 97% of cycles. This ovulation-inhibiting effect is one of the key reasons Cerazette is considered to offer a higher and more consistent level of protection than traditional mini pills.

Secondary Mechanism: Cervical Mucus Thickening

Cerazette also thickens the cervical mucus, making it more difficult for sperm to pass through the cervix and reach an egg. This secondary mechanism contributes to the overall contraceptive effect and provides a degree of protection even in cycles where ovulation is not fully suppressed.

No Oestrogen: Why This Matters

Because Cerazette contains no oestrogen, it avoids the oestrogen-related risks associated with combined pills. This makes it suitable for women who have a history of migraine with aura, who are breastfeeding, who have certain cardiovascular risk factors, or who simply prefer or require an oestrogen-free daily contraceptive.

Continuous Daily Use

Unlike the combined pill, Cerazette is taken every day without a break. There is no seven-day pill-free interval and no withdrawal bleed built into the regimen. Some women experience irregular or absent periods while taking Cerazette, which is a recognised effect of this type of birth control and not a cause for concern in most circumstances.

When to Start

The timing of when you start Cerazette will influence when you become protected. Your prescriber will advise on the most appropriate starting day for your circumstances:

• Day 1 start: begin on the first day of your period. You are protected against pregnancy immediately.
• Day 2 to 5 start: begin within the first five days of your period. You will need to use additional contraception such as condoms for the first two days.
• After childbirth: Cerazette can be started on day 21 after delivery if you are not breastfeeding, with immediate protection. If started later, use additional contraception for two days.
• Whilst breastfeeding: Cerazette is considered suitable for use during breastfeeding. Your prescriber will advise on the appropriate timing for your individual situation.

Taking the Tablets

Take one Cerazette tablet every day, at the same time each day, with no break between packs. When you finish one pack, start the next pack immediately the following day. There is no pill-free interval.

• Swallow the tablet whole with water.
• Take your tablet at the same time each day to maintain consistent hormone levels and to preserve the 12-hour window of protection.
• You have a 12-hour window in which to take your tablet. If you take it within 12 hours of your usual time, you remain protected.

If You Miss a Tablet

Cerazette has a 12-hour window, which is more forgiving than older progestogen-only pills that had only a three-hour window. The rules for missed pills are:

• If you are fewer than 12 hours late: take the missed tablet as soon as you remember and take the next one at your usual time. You remain protected.
• If you are more than 12 hours late: take the missed tablet as soon as you remember, continue the pack as normal, and use additional contraception such as condoms for the next two days.
• If you have had unprotected sex in the 12 hours before you remembered the missed pill, emergency contraception may be needed. Contact your prescriber or pharmacist promptly.

If you vomit within three to four hours of taking a tablet, or experience severe diarrhoea, the tablet may not have been absorbed. Treat this as a missed pill and follow the guidance above.

Tablet Composition

• Each film-coated tablet: desogestrel 75 micrograms.
• No oestrogen component.
• Taken continuously, every day, with no break.

Pack Sizes Available Through Pharmacy Planet

• 84 tablets – a three-month supply (84 consecutive daily tablets).
• 168 tablets – a six-month supply (168 consecutive daily tablets).

Dosage Regimen

One tablet daily, taken at the same time each day, continuously without a break between packs. There is no dose escalation or variation. The dose is fixed at 75 micrograms of desogestrel from the first tablet. Your prescriber will confirm the starting regimen most appropriate for your individual circumstances.

As with all medicines, Cerazette can cause side effects. Not everyone will experience them, and many women find this form of progestogen-only pill well tolerated. The following is a summary based on the current UK SmPC. Read the Patient Information Leaflet in full before beginning treatment.

Very common side effects (affecting more than 1 in 10 women):

• Changes in menstrual bleeding pattern, including irregular bleeding, spotting between periods, infrequent periods, or absence of periods (amenorrhoea).
• Acne.
• Mood changes, including low mood and mood swings.
• Decreased libido.
• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Breast tenderness.
• Weight increase.

Common side effects (affecting up to 1 in 10 women):

• Vaginal infection.
• Difficulty wearing contact lenses due to changes in corneal tolerance.
• Vomiting.
• Hair loss.

Serious side effects – seek urgent medical attention if you experience:

• Severe abdominal pain, which may indicate an ectopic pregnancy.
• Signs of a blood clot such as sudden swelling, redness, or pain in one leg, chest pain, or difficulty breathing.
• Severe allergic reaction including swelling of the face, lips, or throat, or difficulty breathing.

Important drug interactions: enzyme-inducing medicines can reduce the effectiveness of Cerazette. Inform your prescriber of all medicines you are taking, including:

• Rifampicin and rifabutin (antibiotics used for tuberculosis and other infections).
• Antiepileptic medicines including phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, primidone, oxcarbazepine, and topiramate.
• HIV and hepatitis C medicines including ritonavir, nelfinavir, nevirapine, and certain others.
• St John's Wort (a herbal remedy available without prescription).

Cerazette is not suitable if you:

• Have or have ever had breast cancer or a cancer that is sensitive to progestogens.
• Have unexplained vaginal bleeding that has not been investigated by a doctor.
• Have liver disease or a liver tumour.
• Have or have ever had arterial disease or a stroke caused by a blood clot in an artery.
• Are allergic to desogestrel or to any of the other ingredients in the tablet.
• Are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

This medicine may be appropriate if you:

• Are an adult woman seeking daily contraception who prefers or requires an oestrogen-free option.
• Have migraine with aura, which is a contraindication to oestrogen-containing pills but not to progestogen-only pills.
• Are breastfeeding and looking for a contraceptive considered compatible with breastfeeding from six weeks postpartum.
• Are a smoker over 35 years of age, for whom combined pills carry a higher cardiovascular risk.
• Have high blood pressure or certain cardiovascular risk factors that make the combined pill unsuitable.
• Have experienced oestrogen-related side effects such as nausea, breast tenderness, or mood changes on a combined pill previously.

Use with caution if you:

• Have a personal or family history of blood clots (venous thromboembolism).
• Have a history of depression or mood disorders, as progestogens can affect mood in some women.
• Have diabetes. Cerazette may affect glucose tolerance, and blood glucose monitoring may need to be reviewed by your prescriber.
• Have a history of ectopic pregnancy.
• Have liver problems or have had liver disease in the past.
• Have ovarian cysts. Functional ovarian cysts have been reported more frequently in women using Cerazette and are generally benign.

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered online pharmacy. All prescriptions for Cerazette and other prescription contraceptives are issued following a genuine clinical consultation with a registered prescriber. We do not issue prescriptions automatically or on the basis of a questionnaire response alone.

When you submit a consultation for Cerazette, you will be asked to complete a structured medical questionnaire covering your current health, your relevant medical history, any medicines you take, and key lifestyle factors. This information allows the prescriber to assess whether Cerazette is clinically appropriate for you.

After reviewing your consultation, the prescriber will make a clinical decision. If they determine that Cerazette is appropriate for your circumstances, a prescription will be issued and your medication dispensed and sent. If a different method is more suitable, the prescriber will communicate their decision clearly and direct you to the appropriate care.

If you are already using Cerazette and are returning for a repeat supply, a consultation is still required to confirm that continued use remains appropriate.

• Store below 30°C.
• Keep tablets in the original blister pack to protect from moisture.
• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
• Do not use tablets after the expiry date printed on the pack and blister foil.
• Do not dispose of medicines via wastewater or household waste. Return unused tablets to your pharmacist for safe disposal.

This reference guide compares the contraceptive preparations available at Pharmacy Planet, grouped by delivery method and formulation type. Every preparation is a Prescription Only Medicine. A registered prescriber will review your individual health profile, contraceptive history, and risk factors before recommending any preparation.

Important: This comparison is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. A prescriber will decide which treatment is suitable for you following an online consultation.

Pharmacy Planet is a registered UK online pharmacy, regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council. We offer a straightforward, confidential, and clinically responsible route to accessing prescription contraception, including progestogen-only pills such as Cerazette. Our platform is designed to make reproductive healthcare more accessible without compromising on the clinical rigour that keeps patients safe.

Every prescriber on our platform is a registered healthcare professional. They review consultations individually and make clinical decisions based on your specific circumstances. If Cerazette is not the right option for you, they will tell you so, and our team will support you in finding an appropriate alternative wherever possible. We are a healthcare resource, not a vending machine.

Our GPhC registration and the EU common logo on our website confirm our legitimacy as a UK online pharmacy..You can verify our registration at any time via www.pharmacyregulation.org. Our pharmacy team is available to answer any questions before, during, or after your consultation.

• Organon Pharma UK Limited. Cerazette 75 microgram film-coated tablets — Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk/emc. Accessed May 2026.
• Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH). Progestogen-Only Pills — Clinical Guidance. Available at: www.fsrh.org. Accessed May 2026.
• NHS. Progestogen-only pill (mini pill) — your contraception guide. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/progestogen-only-pill. Accessed May 2026.
• British National Formulary (BNF). Desogestrel. Available at: bnf.nice.org.uk. Accessed May 2026.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contraception — overview. Available at: www.nice.org.uk. Accessed May 2026.