I have been taking this pill since 2003 now so i thought, with all the time I've been taking it I should write a review on it. :)

Well, I won't go all sciency for you, because let's face it, I'm no scientist and you won't understand what I'm going on about with all the fancy words anyway so I'll keep it simple. Microgynon 30 simply works by releasing a hormone that stops your ovaries releasing an egg once a month. Usually every month, without a pill, hormones will be sent out and told to release an egg, our linen on our womb will then thicken in preparation to implant a fertilized egg. With Microgynon 30 your body still has a lining prepared by the womb but because of the clever hormone in our pill, an egg will not be released from our ovaries. Also Microgynon 30 also changes the "quality" of the lining of our womb, this makes it harder for an egg to implant itself in the lining, just incase a wee lil egg escapes! Well, I hope that was easy to understand. :)

Well it's a POM (Prescription only medicine) so you will have to see your GP, and that's not to say he/she will prescribe it to you as every lady is different and you may be better suited to another pill. However, he/she will take your blood pressure and record your weight and height and then will decide whether Microgynon 30 is the right contraceptive pill for you. I get the pill prescribed free to me, and I think this is the case for all under 25's when it comes to being prescribed contraceptives. (Someone can correct me if I am wrong) Over 25's will have to pay the prescription fee which I think is around 6.68 at the moment. You are usually prescribed them in a months worth of six packs.

It's a very simple, neat little packet. The box is white with a thick green stripe down it and it clearly says Microgynon 30 on the box. It also has some other information like address and what the actual tablets contain (mumble jumble to me!) Your packet of pills with be a dark green colour with Microgynon 30 written on it and the days of the week written on each tablet. Each day has no special tablet, you can take anyone, and it's just an easier way to remember taking your pills. The covering of the pills is a green foil so it's easy enough to pop your tablets out. The pills themselves are quite small and are yellow in colour. They are a PAIN to drop on the floor and you'll spend forever crawling around trying to find them so be careful!
You will also receive a leaflet about your pills in your packet which includes lots of information. This leaflet was last revised in October 2004, so is a little out dated...

You start taking it on the first day of your period. There are 21 tablets in all which you should take every day around the same time. I will admit, I've missed a pill or two before and taken it 12 hours later but again, try to avoid this as it's not recommended as it does make the pill less effective. After taking your 21 pills, you will then be on your 7 day break from taking them. This is when you will have your period. Every lady is different, but mine are ALWAYS five days long, very light, hardly any pain and it always starts on the Wednesday. The day it starts will sometimes change if you miss a pill or have been taking it incorrectly but I will go onto that...

OK, so you've had a massive hang over or you're completely exhausted from working over time all week at work and you forget your pill. Easy mistake, though don't make a habit of it! If you do forget to take a pill, take it straight away, even if it means your taking two that day. You won't collapse of an overdose, don't panic! However if you miss three pills you are no longer protected against pregnancy. If you do feel you have missed three, you should take the last one immediately, but not all three and use extra protection whilst having sex. Generally, every so often, a missed pill won't do any harm, but if you make a habit of it will. I have also found that in months when I miss a pill or two, my period will come a day earlier.

You can take two packets of pills, back to back. Don't make a habit of this again, as all though it says nothing in the booklet, i believe it's no good for you. I made a habit of having two packets back to back, having a break, then doing the same as, well, like every woman, i hate periods! But after the third time doing that, my period lasted over seven days! It was a nightmare, I was frustrated and so was my poor partner!

Well, everyone's different but for me they've done a wonderful thing to my periods. My periods are so light now which is great and I don't feel like I'm going to double over in pain from periods anymore. Infact, I suffer from no pain at all now during my periods, which can only be a good thing. The pill also claims it may help prevent cervical cancer, and comes with a little chart of statistics with your leaflet, how true this is, I don't know.

Like any pill, of course! II have, unfortunately suffered from some weight gain and found I have an increased appetite on this pill but here are a few others;

It says if you feel you are suffering from other ill side effects you should contact your GP.

Microgynon 30 does not affect your fertility. My Mum took the pill for years and years, and never had a problem coming off it and having two babies within 18 months of each other. I've never heard a bad story about it damaging your fertility, and let's face it, if it WAS doing that they'd be enough proof to stop prescribing it all together! You should NOT stop taking Microgynon 30 straight away if you're trying for a baby, you should finish that packet and have your period. This is not a "true" period (i.e., no egg is released) and then come off then. I have never come off the pill before but I know you may have some irregularities whilst your body adjusts to not being on the pill at first.

If taken COORRECCTLY, it is one of the most effective contraception's around. It is almost 100% effective if taken correctly, though I've read the exact stat is something like 98.2% or something around that figure.