Mercilon

Mercilon is a combined oral contraceptive pill that uses synthetic hormones for contraception. The two synthetic hormones being used as its active ingredients are ethynylestradiol, a synthetic version of estrogen, and desogestrel, a synthetic form of progesterone.

Mercilon pill is used to prevent pregnancy. It also regulates the monthly periods and makes them lighter and less painful. Mercilon is usually prescribed for women who suffer from irregular, heavy, and painful periods.

Mercilon tablets use the synthetic versions of the female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Normally the levels of sex hormones change throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle. The hormones influence the release of an egg from the ovaries during the process of ovulation and prepare the lining of the uterus for a possible pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilised, the levels of the hormones drop. This causes the lining of the womb to shed including the unfertilised egg at the end of the menstrual cycle during the period.   

Mercilon tricks the body into believing that ovulation already occurred through the hormones it contains. This hinders the ripening and the succeeding release of an egg from the ovaries each month.

At the same time, Mercilon pills also thicken the mucus at the cervix, so that the sperm will not easily cross from the vagina into the womb to reach the egg to be fertilised. The hormones in Mercilon also change the quality of the womb lining and make it less beneficial for the implantation of a fertilised egg.

You will benefit from Mercilon tablets if you are not yet planning to get pregnant. It prevents pregnancy by stopping egg fertilization and implantation. 

Aside from that, you will also benefit from Mercilon if you suffer from painful periods since it regulates the monthly menstruation. Also, Mercilon helps in decreasing the risk of ovarian cysts.

Mercilon is a monophasic pill, which means every pill has the same dose of hormone in them.

Take one tablet of Mercilon daily for 21 days, then stop for 7 days. During this 7-day break from the pills, the hormone level in the blood will drop, resulting in a withdrawal bleeding similar to your normal monthly period. Whether or not this bleeding stops after the 7-day break, you have to start a new Mercilon pack.

The tablets are marked with the days of the week to make it easy for you to remember to take the daily dose for the next three weeks, followed by a week off. Your protection from pregnancy will still take effect during the pill-free week as long as you took all the pills correctly and you start the new Mercilon packet on time.

To make it easier for you to remember your daily pill, take the pill at the same time each day. Swallow each Mercilon tablet with a drink, with or without food.

You should start taking the pill on the first day of your menstrual cycle to activate the protection against pregnancy immediately. Doing this will not require the use of another method of contraception while you are taking Mercilon. If your menstrual cycles are shorter, protection from pregnancy will not start if you will begin taking the pills on the fifth day of your period.

This pill can be taken at any time during your cycle if you have been medically checked and confirmed not pregnant. Doing this though, will not guarantee protection from pregnancy. Other forms of contraception, such as condoms, might be necessary for the first seven days of taking the pill.

If you want to start the pill after giving birth, make sure you are not breastfeeding. You can start taking the pill on the 21st day after giving birth but use extra contraception such as a condom for the first seven days.

If you had a miscarriage or abortion at under 24 weeks, you may start taking the pill immediately and it will provide you protection against pregnancy. If you start taking the pill more than seven days after a miscarriage or abortion, extra contraception will be needed for the seven days of taking the pills.

If you forget your daily dose or start the pack of pills a day late, take the missed pill immediately after you remember even if you have to take two pills at the same time. Then proceed with taking the rest of the pack as scheduled. You are still protected from pregnancy and extra contraception is not yet necessary.

If you forget to take two tablets or you start the new pack two or more days late, you are not guaranteed with protection against pregnancy. Take two pills, the missed on and the scheduled one. Proceed with taking the rest of the Mercilon pills in the pack as scheduled and forget about the second missed tablet. You should avoid sex though, or ensure the use of another method of contraception such as condoms.

If you have less than seven pills left in the pack after your last missed pill, finish the current pack and start a new Mercilon pack straight away and skip the 7-day pill-free break.

If you vomit within two hours of taking a pill, your body may not fully absorb the medicine. Take another pill as soon as you feel better then continue with the next pill at your usual time. You will still get protection.

Mercilon is not a protection against sexually transmitted infections. 

First-time users of Mercilon may experience changes in menstruation such as spotting, breakthrough bleeding, or missed period. Seek advice from your doctor if you experience persistent bleeding. If you don’t bleed for two succeeding months, take a pregnancy test before you proceed on to the next pack.