The Lovima® Pill

Lovima pill at a glance

• The Lovima pill is a new brand of the mini pill (progestogen-only pill)
• The Lovima pill is the first mini pill available to purchase from your local pharmacy without a prescription.
• If you take Lovima daily starting at the beginning of your menstrual cycle, it is clinically proven to be 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
• There are 28 pills in one pack of Lovima, and one pill must be taken within 12 hours of the same time each day.
• Women of childbearing age can take Lovima as a contraceptive.

What is the progestogen-only pill?

The progestrogen-only pill, also referred to as the mini pill, is a hormonal method of contraception that thickens the mucus in the cervix to stop sperm reaching an egg. If you are using a desogestrel progestogen-only pill, like Lovima, this can also stop ovulation. 

How to take a progestogen-only pill

There are 28 pills in one pack and one pill must be taken within 12 hours of the same time each day. As long as you swallow your pill whole (Do not crush or chew your tablet), you can take it with or without food. Unlike the combined pill, there’s no break between packs of pills, meaning you don’t need to wait a week to allow for bleeding. Your periods may become lighter, less frequent and less regular the longer you continue to take a progestogen-only pill.

In the event that you missed a Lovima pill, take it as soon as you remember and take the next pill at the usual time. Lovima will still prevent you from getting pregnant if you take the missed pill within 12 hours. However, you may not be fully protected against pregnancy if you are more than 12 hours late in taking a pill. Take the first pill as soon as you remember, and the next at the regular time. This may mean taking two pills in one day. There is no harm in doing this. For the next 7 days, you should continue taking your pills as normal, but make sure to use a male or female condom during sex. If you do have sex without a condom during this time, speak to your pharmacist as you may need to use emergency contraception.

If you want to stop taking Lovima, you can do so at any time. However, you will no longer be protected against pregnancy once you stop taking it.

Starting the first pack of pills

If you start taking Lovima on the first 5 days of your period (days 1-5 of your menstrual cycle), you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you take Lovima daily starting at the beginning of your menstrual cycle, it is clinically proven to be 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Sickness and Diarrhoea

If you experience vomiting or diarrhoea while taking Lovima, you may be at risk of getting pregnant. During your illness and for the first week after, you should use an additional method of contraception (such as male or female condoms). Speak to a pharmacist, nurse or GP, or call NHS 111 or the national sexual health helpline free on 0300 123 7123, if you're unsure whether you're protected against pregnancy, or if your sickness or diarrhoea continues.

Who can use lovima?

If you are a woman of childbearing age, you will be able to take Lovima after consulting with your pharmacist. You are eligible if you have started your first period, have gone through menopause, or are planning to have children. Your pharmacist will ask you some questions to determine if Lovima is right for you.

In most circumstances, you might be able to take Lovima if you:

• have just had a baby
• are breastfeeding
• have migraines
• are over 35 years and smoke
• are overweight

However, you should not take Lovima if you:

• are pregnant or think you may be pregnant
• have a thrombosis (a blood clot)
• have or have ever had jaundice or severe liver disease
• have or think you might have a cancer that is sensitive to sex steroids (e.g. some forms of breast cancer)
• have any unexplained vaginal bleeding
• are allergic to soya, peanut, lactose or any of the ingredients in Lovima

You should speak with your pharmacist if you want to know more about who can use Lovima.

Advantages of using a progestogen-only pill

Some advantages of taking a progestrogen-only pill include:

• it does not interrupt sex
• you can use it when breastfeeding
• it's useful if you cannot take the hormone oestrogen, which is in the combined pill, contraceptive patch and vaginal ring
• you can use it at any age

Disadvantages of using a progestogen-only pill

Some disadvantages of taking a progestrogen-only pill include:

• you may not have regular periods while taking it – your periods may be lighter, more frequent, or may stop altogether, and you may get spotting between periods
• it will not protect you against STIs
• you need to remember to take it at or around the same time every day
• some medicines, including some (uncommon) antibiotics, can make it less effective

Are there any side effects?

As the Lovima pill is a hormonal contraceptive, some people do experience side effects. Common side effects of taking a progestrogen-only pill, such as Lovima, include:

• acne
• breast tenderness and breast enlargement
• an increased or decreased sex drive
• mood changes
• headache and migraine
• nausea or vomiting
• weight gain
• irregular or no periods – irregular periods are the most common side effect of Lovima
• small fluid-filled sacs (cysts) on your ovaries – these are usually harmless and disappear without treatment

Any side effects you may experience from taking a progestogen-only pill should generally improve over time and are most likely to only occur in the first few months. However, if you have any concerns about any side effects you may be experiencing, talk to your GP or pharmacist – they may suggest trying a different form of contraceptive.

You can report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme, here.

Where can I get oral contraceptives?

Combined oral contraceptives are available from your GP or contraceptive clinic, read more here.

Combined oral contraceptive pills are not currently available directly from pharmacies because checks need to be completed to check that it is safe for you to take including checking if you are at risk of developing blood clots and checking your blood pressure.

The progestogen-only pill is available from the same places as the combined oral contraceptive pill but the Lovima brand can also be purchased over the counter from a pharmacy or from an online pharmacy.  Oral contarceptives are usually free from contraceptive clinics but you will have to pay for it from the pharmacy.

Before the pharmacist can sell Lovima they must have a short consultation with you to check that a progestrogen-only pill is the right form of contraception for you. If you are using an online pharmacy this will be through an online questionnaire. If the pharmacist has any concerns you may be advised to use an alternative form of contraception or asked to see your GP or local contraceptive clinic. If the pharmacist things it is appropriate  you will be able to purchase the Lovima pill from the pharmacy.

Useful resources

NHS – to read more general information about the mini-pill, click here.  

Lovima – to read more information specifically about the Lovima pill, click here.

SASH – to speak with a member of the SASH team about Lovima or any other contraceptives, click here to reach out for support.