If this is your first time taking Yaz or you are restarting:
Start it on the first day of your next period and you will have full contraceptive cover immediately.
If you have not been sexually active since your last period, you can start it at any time of your cycle. If taken correctly, you will have full contraceptive cover after 7 days of pill-taking. You should use additional contraception during this 7 day lead in time.
If you are changing from another pill/ form of contraception, please contact us via your patient record for specific instructions.
There are 28 pills in each packet of Yaz; 24 light pink pills and 4 white pills.
The light pink pills contain hormones (active pills). The white pills do not contain hormones - they are inactive reminder pills.
Start at Day one on the labelled pill packet and follow the arrows to complete all the light pink pills, then the 4 white inactive pills at the end of the packet. Your new packet should then be started immediately, there is no break.
When you are taking the hormone free pills (white pills) you will usually have a bleed. The bleed may last for a few days and still be present when you are due to start your next packet of Yaz. You should always start your next packet on time, even if you are still bleeding.
It is essential that you take your pill around the same time every day.