Yasmin Tablets

Yasmin Tablets is a combined oral contraceptive tablet containing ethinylestradiol 0.03 milligrams (30 micrograms) and drospirenone 3 milligrams per tablet. It is licensed in the United Kingdom for the prevention of pregnancy. Yasmin Tablets belongs to the combined hormonal contraceptive group of medicines, uses drospirenone as its progestogen, and works primarily by suppressing ovulation while also altering cervical mucus and the endometrial lining. It is available as a film-coated tablet in a 28-tablet pack with 21 active and 7 inactive placebo tablets, taken every day without a break between packs. Yasmin Tablets is manufactured by Bayer plc. Its generic equivalents, Lucette and Yacella, contain identical active ingredients at identical doses.

Yasmin Tablets is a monophasic combined oral contraceptive. Every active tablet in the 21-tablet active phase contains exactly the same dose of both hormones. The 28-tablet pack contains 21 active yellow tablets and 7 inactive white placebo tablets, taken daily without a gap between packs.

The progestogen in Yasmin Tablets is drospirenone. Most progestogens used in combined pills, including levonorgestrel, gestodene, desogestrel, and norgestimate, are derived from testosterone. Drospirenone is different: it is structurally derived from spironolactone, a diuretic compound with known anti-aldosterone and anti-androgenic properties. This structural origin is what gives drospirenone two pharmacological effects absent from most other progestogens:

1. Anti-mineralocorticoid activity: drospirenone blocks aldosterone receptors, counteracting the sodium and fluid retention that oestrogen and some progestogens can cause
2. Anti-androgenic activity: drospirenone has a mild inhibitory effect at androgen receptors

Neither of these effects is guaranteed to produce a clinical benefit in any specific patient. Yasmin Tablets is not licensed to treat acne, fluid retention, or any other androgenic condition. Its licensed indication is contraception only. Any secondary effects on skin or fluid balance are pharmacological observations, not marketing claims. Individual responses vary and cannot be predicted before a patient starts the preparation.

Yasmin Tablets is clinically equivalent to Lucette (Stragen UK Ltd) and Yacella (Stragen UK Ltd). All three contain ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and drospirenone 3 milligrams per active tablet and use the same 21-plus-7 every-day format. If your pharmacy dispenses Lucette or Yacella when you expect Yasmin Tablets, the contraceptive content is unchanged.

Yasmin Tablets prevents pregnancy through three connected mechanisms. The most important is ovulation suppression. Ethinylestradiol and drospirenone together interrupt the hormonal conversation between the brain and the ovaries that normally triggers egg release. The pituitary gland, which sends the signal for ovulation via follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone, receives a hormonal message from Yasmin Tablets's active ingredients that effectively tells it to stand down. Without that pituitary signal, the ovary does not release an egg.

Cervical Mucus

Drospirenone thickens the cervical mucus. The mucus changes in consistency, becoming significantly more resistant to sperm penetration. Even in a cycle where ovulation suppression may not be complete, sperm reaching an egg becomes substantially harder.

Endometrial Lining

The combined hormonal environment maintained by Yasmin Tablets alters the endometrial lining, reducing its readiness for implantation. This is a third protective mechanism that operates independently of whether ovulation occurs.

What Drospirenone Adds Beyond Contraception

Drospirenone's anti-mineralocorticoid action opposes the sodium and fluid-retaining effects that oestrogen and some progestogens can produce. Some women on drospirenone-containing pills report less cyclical bloating compared with older progestogen formulations. This is a pharmacologically real observation documented in clinical literature. It is not, however, a predictable clinical outcome for any given patient, and Yasmin Tablets is not licensed as a treatment for this.

The Inactive Tablets and Withdrawal Bleed

The 7 inactive tablets at the end of each pack allow hormone levels to fall in a controlled way. The resulting withdrawal bleed, which typically occurs during the inactive tablet days, is not a true menstrual period. It is a pharmacological response to the withdrawal of hormone. Starting the next pack immediately after the last inactive tablet re-establishes hormonal suppression without a gap.

Getting Started

Begin on day one of your periods for immediate protection. If you start on days two to five of your cycle, use condoms or another barrier method for the first seven days.

Switching from another combined pill: take your first Yasmin Tablets active tablet the day after your last active tablet from the previous pack, or the day after the last inactive tablet if your previous pill had placebo days. Protection continues without interruption.

Switching from a progestogen-only pill: start on any day and use a barrier method for the first seven days.

Every-Day Routine

Take one tablet at the same time every day in pack order: 21 active tablets first, then 7 inactive tablets. Start the next pack immediately after the last inactive tablet. There is no break between packs and no pill-free week.

Take each tablet whole with water. Consistent daily timing keeps hormone levels stable throughout the cycle. The inactive tablets contain no hormones but preserve the daily habit during the hormone-free phase.

A withdrawal bleed usually begins during the inactive tablet days. Continue taking tablets as normal throughout the bleed.

Vomiting within two hours of taking an active tablet, or severe diarrhoea, may prevent the dose from being fully absorbed. Treat either situation as a missed active tablet.

Missed Tablets

Missed a white inactive tablet: discard it and carry on. No action needed and protection is unaffected.

Missed one active tablet, under 24 hours late: take it straight away and continue at the usual time. You remain protected.

Missed one active tablet, over 24 hours late: take it now, take the next at the usual time even if two fall on the same day, and use condoms for the next seven days.

Missed two or more consecutive active tablets: take only the most recently missed one, discard the rest, continue the pack in order, and use condoms for seven days. If the missed tablets fell in week one of the active phase and you had unprotected sex during that window, contact your prescriber or pharmacist about emergency contraception.

Each active Yasmin Tablets tablet contains ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and drospirenone 3 milligrams. Every active tablet is identical. There is one strength available. The 28-tablet pack contains 21 active yellow tablets followed by 7 inactive white tablets.

The Potassium Consideration

Drospirenone's anti-mineralocorticoid activity affects how the kidneys handle potassium. In healthy women with normal kidney and adrenal function, this has no clinical consequence. However, women who regularly take other medicines that raise potassium levels face a risk of hyperkalaemia. The following medicines fall into this category:

1. ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists
2. Potassium-sparing diuretics
3. Spironolactone
4. Heparin
5. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used regularly

Important Note:

Renal insufficiency and adrenal insufficiency are specific contraindications to Yasmin Tablets because of drospirenone's effect on potassium. Declare all medicines including over-the-counter products and supplements to your prescriber before starting Yasmin Tablets.

Yasmin Tablets, Lucette, and Yacella

Yasmin Tablets is manufactured by Bayer plc. Lucette and Yacella are manufactured by Stragen UK Ltd. All three contain ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and drospirenone 3 milligrams per active tablet and follow the same 21-plus-7 format. They are clinically equivalent and prescribed or dispensed interchangeably.

Side effect information below is based on the current UK SmPC for Yasmin Tablets. Read the Patient Information Leaflet in full before starting. Not everyone experiences side effects.

Common Side Effects

Headache, nausea, breast tenderness, mood changes, reduced libido, and irregular spotting or changes to the withdrawal bleed pattern, particularly in the first one to three cycles, are the most commonly reported effects. Spotting usually settles as the body adjusts to the hormonal pattern.

Less Common Side Effects

1. Weight changes
2. Contact lens intolerance
3. Chloasma: patches of darker skin on the face, aggravated by sun exposure
4. Changes in vaginal discharge

When to Seek Urgent Help

Stop taking Yasmin Tablets and seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following:

1. Sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood
2. Swelling, pain, redness, or heat in one leg
3. Sudden severe headache, loss of vision, difficulty speaking, or one-sided weakness
4. Severe abdominal pain
5. Yellowing of the skin or eyes

These may indicate a blood clot, stroke, or liver problem.

Blood Clot Risk

All combined pills carry a small increased VTE risk compared with no hormonal contraception. Drospirenone-containing pills including Yasmin Tablets sit in a somewhat higher VTE risk category than levonorgestrel-containing pills, and a broadly similar risk to other third-generation combined pills, according to MHRA guidance. Your prescriber assesses your individual VTE risk factors, including BMI, smoking status, personal and family history of blood clots, and planned immobility, before recommending Yasmin Tablets.

Drug Interactions

Enzyme-inducing medicines reduce the effectiveness of Yasmin Tablets by speeding up the breakdown of both ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. These include rifampicin, certain antiepileptic medicines, some HIV antiretrovirals, and St John's Wort. Potassium-raising medicines require specific attention due to drospirenone's mechanism; see the dosage section above. Declare every medicine, supplement, and herbal product to your prescriber.

Yasmin Tablets Are Not Suitable If You:

1. Have ever had a blood clot: DVT, pulmonary embolism, stroke, or heart attack
2. Have migraine with aura
3. Have uncontrolled high blood pressure
4. Have renal insufficiency or adrenal insufficiency
5. Have liver disease, liver tumours, or a history of jaundice caused by pill use
6. Have or have had breast cancer or another hormone-sensitive malignancy
7. Are pregnant
8. Are breastfeeding a baby under six weeks old
9. Smoke and are aged 35 or older
10. Have diabetes with vascular complications
11. Regularly take medicines that raise potassium levels

Yasmin Tablets May Be Appropriate If You:

1. Are a healthy adult woman with no contraindications to combined hormonal contraception
2. Have normal kidney and adrenal function and are not taking potassium-raising medicines
3. Prefer a no-break every-day pill format
4. Are already prescribed Lucette or Yacella and are being offered Yasmin Tablets as the branded originator, or vice versa
5. Have no personal or family history of blood clots, stroke, or cardiovascular disease

Talk to Your Prescriber First If You:

1. Smoke and are under 35
2. Have a BMI above 30
3. Have a first-degree family member who had a blood clot before the age of 50
4. Experience migraine without aura
5. Are planning long-haul travel or face extended periods of immobility
6. Have a history of depression or are currently receiving treatment for a mood disorder
7. Take any medicine that affects potassium levels

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered UK online pharmacy. Every Yasmin Tablets prescription is issued following a clinical consultation reviewed by a registered prescriber. The consultation is the primary step. A prescription is one possible outcome, not a guaranteed result.

Because Yasmin Tablets contains drospirenone, the prescriber's assessment includes specific checks for renal function, adrenal health, and any co-prescribed medicines that raise potassium levels. This goes beyond the standard combined pill checklist and applies to all drospirenone-based preparations including Yasmin Tablets, Lucette, and Yacella.

The outcome may be a prescription for Yasmin Tablets, a recommendation for a drospirenone-free preparation with a different potassium risk profile, a suggestion to consider a different contraceptive approach, or a referral for an in-person review. Repeat prescriptions follow the same individual clinical review with no automatic renewal.

Store below 25°C away from direct heat and sunlight. Keep tablets in the original blister strip: the colour coding helps you distinguish active yellow tablets from inactive white ones. Store out of reach of children. Check the expiry date on the carton before each pack.

Return unused or expired tablets to a UK pharmacy for safe disposal. Do not put them in household rubbish or flush them down the toilet.

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. This table is a clinical reference, not a recommendation.

Combined Oral Contraceptive Tablets (Monophasic)

Monophasic combined pills contain the same dose of both hormones in every active tablet. The table below compares commonly prescribed monophasic combined oral contraceptives by progestogen type, oestrogen dose, VTE risk category, pack format, and key clinical characteristics.

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.

Yasmin Tablets's drospirenone content requires a clinical assessment that goes further than a standard combined pill consultation. The prescriber must actively check for renal insufficiency, adrenal health, and potassium-raising co-medications before issuing a prescription. At Pharmacy Planet, every Yasmin Tablets consultation is reviewed by a registered prescriber who works through this assessment individually.

If Yasmin Tablets is not the right choice for you, your prescriber will explain why and, where appropriate, suggest a preparation with a different safety profile. The assessment comes first.

• Bayer plc. Yasmin Tablets 0.03 mg/3 mg film-coated tablets – Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk/emc. Accessed May 2026.
• Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH). Combined Hormonal Contraception – Clinical Guidance. Available at: www.fsrh.org. Accessed May 2026.
• NHS. Combined pill – your contraception guide. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/combined-contraceptive-pill. Accessed May 2026.
• British National Formulary (BNF). Ethinylestradiol with drospirenone. Available at: bnf.nice.org.uk. Accessed May 2026.
• MHRA. Combined hormonal contraceptives and venous thromboembolism – updated guidance. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency. Accessed May 2026.