Cilique Contraceptive Pill

Cilique, contraception treatment

Cilique is a reliable combined contraceptive pill that contains ethinylestradiol and norgestimate.

  • Take everyday for 21 days, with a 7-day break (other options may be suitable, just check with your doctor)

  • Up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when taken correctly

  • Need yearly blood pressure and weight check

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How to take Cilique

  • Most women take 1 pill every day for 21 days and then take a break for 4 or 7 days. During that break, you might have a withdrawal bleed, which feels a bit like a period, but it isn't one.

There are also a few other ways to use the Cilique pill, so it's a good idea to chat with your doctor about what works best for you:

  • Tricycling: Take 1 pill every day for 9 weeks (3 packs in a row), and then take a 4 or 7 day break before starting the next cycle.

  • Flexible extended use: Take 1 pill every day for at least 21 days. If the bleeding gets to a point when it's too much, you can take a 4 day break, then start again on day 5. Don't take another break for at least 21 days.

How effective is Cilique?

Cilique is about 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when you take it properly. That means taking it every day, around the same time, without missing any pills. But if you do forget to take a pill or don't take it properly, the effectiveness drops. Roughly around 9 in 100 women may get pregnant with typical use.

If you're feeling sick and have been throwing up or if you have really bad diarrhoea, you might not be fully protected from pregnancy. Keep taking the Cilique pill, but use condoms while you're not feeling well. 

If your diarrhoea lasts more than 24 hours or you vomit within 3 hours of taking Cilique, treat it like you've missed a pill.

And only start taking the Cilique contraceptive pill again if you're really sure you're not pregnant.

How long after taking Cilique are you protected?

As a new user (or if you’re starting Cilique again after a break), if you start using Cilique on days 1-5 of your period, you're protected from getting pregnant right away, as long as you don't have a short or irregular cycle.

But if you start taking Cilique after day 5 and you do have a shorter or irregular cycle, you'll need to use condoms for the first 7 days.

It's a good idea to check with your clinician to see if you need to use extra contraception.

What are the side effects of Cilique?

Most women don't have any issues with Cilique contraceptive pill, but there are possible side effects like irregular bleeding, period cramps, feeling nauseous, headaches, dizziness, diarrhoea or vomiting.

Rarely, Cilique may slightly increase the risk of blood clots compared to some other contraceptive pills.

If you're ever worried or feeling unsure about anything, message us through your account, and check the patient information leaflet for full details.

Contraception medicines

Frequently asked questions

It really depends on how many you missed and when. Missing just one pill is usually fine and won't affect your contraception. But if you've missed your tablet for more than 12 hours, missed two or more pills or started a new pack late, bear in mind that could impact your protection.

If it's been up to 48 hours since your last pill, just take the missed one as soon as you remember and carry on with the rest of the pack like normal. This might mean you'll need to take two pills on the same day.  

If it's been more than 48 hours, what you do next depends on when you last took your pill and where you are in your pack.

Please check the patient information leaflet for further information.

If you're breastfeeding, it's best to hold off on taking Cilique until at least six weeks after you've had your baby.

There is no evidence that Cilique affects weight. You may find your weight changes throughout your cycle due to fluid retention and other reasons not related to the pill.

It's possible to delay your period by taking two packets of Cilique back-to-back.

Cilique and Cilest have the same active ingredients and work exactly in the same way.

You can request and pay for a Cilique prescription online. Just remember that since it's a prescription-only medication, you'll need a prescription from a clinician first, even if you're using an online service.  

With all combined contraceptive pills, we will need to know your height, weight and blood pressure to prescribe safely. You can fill this out during the consultation.

If you're thinking about switching to Cilique, just reach out through your account or make an appointment with your GP to chat about it. It's best to switch without taking a break between your packs, and you might need to use another contraceptive method during the changeover.

Combined contraceptives can raise your blood pressure, which can be risky. This is why it's important to get your blood pressure checked before starting any combined contraceptive and then at least once a year after that. If you've had your blood pressure checked recently or did it yourself with a home monitor, you can give us this information as part of your consultation.

You should be able to take Cilique alongside other medication, but it's important to let us know what prescriptions, over-the-counter meds, or recreational drugs you're using so we can make sure Cilique is safe for you.

We offer a range of contraceptives, like NuvaRing, Evra Patch, combined pills, low-dose pills and mini pills. View all of our contraception options.

Condoms are a great contraception method and also help protect against STIs. Plus, if you're interested in long-lasting options, you can get implants, the coil, or injectable contraception from your GP or family planning clinic.