Trifeme

What is Trifeme?

Trifeme is a branded combined contraceptive pill that protects you from getting pregnant. It’s known as a “triphasic” pill, which sounds a bit like something out of a natural history show, but it’s pretty simple. A triphasic pill is a pill that contains three different dosages of progestin and estrogen that you take for 21 days, followed by 7 days of inactive pills with no hormones.

The 21 active pills are three different colours, for each of the three dosages. Six are brown (containing 30/50 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel), five are white (containing 40/75 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel) and 10 are yellow (containing 30/125 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel). So speaking plainly, different pills with different hormones in them.

As a triphasic pill, because it contains different amounts of hormones and mimics the body’s natural cycle very closely, it’s very important that Trifeme pills are taken in the correct order.

How does Trifeme work?

There are three ways in which Trifeme gives you protection from pregnancy. The two hormones in it stop the ovaries from releasing an egg during ovulation, and thicken the mucus in the cervix, which makes it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg. They also make the lining of the uterus thinner, which reduces the chances of a fertilized egg latching on to the uterine wall and growing.

The combined pill tends to make your periods lighter, regular and less painful, so there are additional benefits to taking it too. So it’s an all-round multitasker.

What’s the difference between Trifeme and other pills?

Like other hormonal birth control pills, you take Trifeme at the same time every day. It’s a “combined” pill, so it’s made from a synthetic estrogen and progesterone. There are a few things that make Trifeme special, though.

Trifeme is a triphasic birth control pill while the most common pills are monophasic. Monophasic pills contain one (mono) dose of hormones in all of the active pills. You can guess where we’re going here — Trifeme has three different doses of hormones. (That’s also why it’s called Trifeme!) Changing up the hormone levels is thought to more closely mimic natural hormone fluctuations, which can help with birth control side effects.

Each package of Trifeme comes with 21 active pills and 7 inactive pills, which don’t contain any hormones. That’s because some women prefer to stay in the routine of taking a pill every day, rather than taking a 7-day break, just to reduce the risks of ever forgetting a pill. The extra 7 placebo pills that you get with Trifeme help to provide this security.

How to take Trifeme pills

Take one pill at the same time every day. It’s best to take your first pill on the first day of your period, as this will give you immediate protection from pregnancy. Start by taking pill number 1, which is a red pill.

Follow the direction of the arrows on the pack until you have taken all 21 active pills. You can swallow each pill whole with water if you prefer to, but don’t chew the pills. Then, you’ll take 7 pills without hormones before starting a new pack.

A couple of days after taking the last active pill, you should get your period. You may still be having your period when you start your next pack of pills; this is absolutely fine and nothing to worry about. It’s important that you start your new pack on time.

So long as you’ve taken your pills correctly and start your next pack of pills when you should, you don’t need to use any additional contraception during your 7 inactive-pill days. Provided that you take Trifeme correctly, you’ll always start a new pack on the same day of the week.

What to do about a Trifeme missed pill

If fewer than 12 hours have passed since you missed a pill, take the pill you missed immediately and any further pill as you would normally, even if this means taking two pills at the same time. Your protection from pregnancy shouldn’t be affected.

Should you find that it’s been more than 12 hours since your missed pill, or if you’ve missed more than one pill, take the pill you missed most recently straight away. Leave any pills you missed earlier than this in the strip. Take any pills that follow at the usual time, even if you have to take two pills in one day. You’ll need to use extra contraception such as a condom for the next 7 days.

Read the patient info that comes with your pill for more info. If you miss a pill towards the end of the pack, you may be advised to skip the inactive pill break and carry straight on to the next pack.

How effective is Trifeme?

When they’re used as they should be, combined pills like Trifeme are more than 99% effective at stopping you from becoming pregnant. So out of 100 women taking them correctly over 12 months, only one will get pregnant.

But if you miss a pill from time to time or if you use combined pills in error, your risk of pregnancy increases slightly. The pill is 91% effective in these circumstances, so for every 100 women taking the pill on this basis, around 9 will become pregnant over 12 months. To avoid this from happening, it’s very important to read the instructions that come with your prescription before you take it.