Cerelle is a progesterone-only contraceptive pill (POP) – otherwise known as a mini pill – and is used to stop you getting pregnant. It’s made up of a synthetic progesterone. Each box contains three packs of 28 tablets. Like other progestogen-only pills, Cerelle can be used for women who may not want to or cannot use oestrogens.

Find out more about contraceptive pills.

Cerelle is a contraceptive pill intended to prevent pregnancy.

Cerelle contains a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone called desogestrel (75mcg). In contrast to traditional progestogen-only pills, the contraceptive effect of Cerelle is achieved primarily by inhibition of ovulation (stopping your ovaries from releasing eggs), as well as thickening the mucus in the cervix.

Cerelle comes in a pack of 28 pills, each marked with a day of the week. Take one pill every day, at the same time each day, without any breaks or waiting for a bleed. When you finish one 28 day pack, start the next one the following day. You need to take Cerelle every day without fail to be protected against pregnancy. Tablets must be taken every day at about the same time so that the interval between two tablets always is 24 hours.

Many women stop having their periods while taking Cerelle. This is normal and no cause for concern.

Get in touch through your online patient record if you have any other questions about how to take Cerelle.

Each tablet contains 75 micrograms desogestrel taken daily.

We recommend that you start taking Cerelle during the first 5 days of your period. It will then be immediately effective and you won’t need to use additional contraception.

You can also take your first tablet after day 5 of your period, but you must also use an additional barrier method of contraception, like condoms, for the first 2 days of taking the tablets.

Important: Cerelle only protects you from pregnancy. It does not stop you catching sexually transmitted infection (STI). If you are concerned about this, please also use barrier contraception like condoms and make sure to have regular STI tests. You can order easy home STI test kits from us here.

It’s common to experience some side effects while your body gets used to the hormonal changes from taking the contraceptive pill. When you start taking Cerelle, you may experience: nausea, headaches, acne, reduced libido, or changes in mood. These side effects should lessen after the first three months.

You may have less frequent or less regular periods, or you may stop having them completely.

If any of the side effects are impacting you significantly or don’t improve after the initial three-month period, get in touch. We might suggest you swap to a different pill.

For more information on Cerelle’s side effects, please read the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with your pill.

Cerelle should not be taken during pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking Cerelle, make sure to stop taking it straight away. You can take Cerelle while breastfeeding.

In contrast to the combined oral contraceptive pill, Cerelle may be more suitable for certain groups of people, for example women aged over 40 years, smokers and women with a BMI 35 or over.

You must tell us your full medical history, and details of any other medicines you’re taking, during your online questionnaire so we can prescribe an oral contraceptive pill if suitable for you.

You may want to consider other progesterone-only pills including alternative versions of desogestrel (such as Cerazette) or different progestogens such as Noriday. For those who are suitable, we also offer combined oral contraceptive pills.

Find out more about different contraceptive pills.

Apart from the pill, there are other forms of contraception you may want to consider, many of which are long acting, such as implants, coils (hormonal or copper) or injections. If you’re interested in discussing these alternative options, please contact your GP or local sexual health clinic.

Condoms or another barrier contraception are alternative contraceptive methods to consider. You can talk to your GP or visit your local sexual health centre for more information about these. You can also buy condoms from Boots or your local pharmacy.

You need a prescription to buy the Cerelle mini pill. You can either get this from your local GP, or online from one of our friendly, experienced clinicians. You won’t need to wait or make an appointment at Boots Online Doctor. Simply fill out our quick online questionnaire and we’ll prescribe Cerelle if suitable for you.

You can collect your contraceptive pill at your local Boots pharmacy or we can deliver discreetly to your door in as little as two days.

Find out more about our oral contraceptive service.

The only difference between Cerelle and Cerazette is the branding. Both are a progesterone-only mini-pill, containing exactly the same active ingredient and working in exactly the same way.

Cerelle is cheaper than Cerazette so can be a more cost effective option of this version of the mini pill.

Users of Cerelle may gain some weight during use but there is no evidence that it causes significant weight gain. This may be due to changes in hormones throughout your cycle which affect your appetite and fluid retention.

You may experience bleeding between periods while taking Cerelle. This should stop happening as your body gets used to the new hormones from the contraceptive pill. If the bleeding on Cerelle hasn’t stopped after a few months, or is particularly heavy or painful, please see your GP or get in touch with us via your online patient record.

You can stop taking Cerelle at any time. You won’t be protected against pregnancy from the day you stop taking it so will need to make sure you use another form of contraception.

Get in touch if you’d like to discuss trying a different contraceptive pill.

Find out more about alternative contraceptive pills.