Evra Patch
The Evra Patch, otherwise known as the contraceptive patch, is a small sticky patch that releases hormones into your body through your skin to prevent pregnancy.
The patch releases a daily dose of hormones through the skin into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy. It contains the same hormones as the combined pill – oestrogen and progestogen – and works in the same way by preventing the release of an egg each month (ovulation).
It also thickens cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to move through the cervix, and thins the womb lining so a fertilised egg is less likely to be able to implant itself.
When used correctly, the patch is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
It also thickens cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to move through the cervix, and thins the womb lining so a fertilised egg is less likely to be able to implant itself.
When used correctly, the patch is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
Apply your first patch and wear it for 7 days. On day 8, change the patch to a new one. Change it like this every week for 3 weeks, and then have a patch-free week.
During your patch-free week you'll get a withdrawal bleed, like a period, although this may not always happen.
After 7 patch-free days, apply a new patch and start the 4-week cycle again. Start your new cycle even if you're still bleeding.
Where to put the patch
Stick the patch directly onto your skin. You can put it onto most areas of your body, as long as the skin is clean, dry and not very hairy. You should not stick the patch onto sore or irritated skin, an area where it may get rubbed off by tight clothing or on your breasts.
During your patch-free week you'll get a withdrawal bleed, like a period, although this may not always happen.
After 7 patch-free days, apply a new patch and start the 4-week cycle again. Start your new cycle even if you're still bleeding.
Where to put the patch
Stick the patch directly onto your skin. You can put it onto most areas of your body, as long as the skin is clean, dry and not very hairy. You should not stick the patch onto sore or irritated skin, an area where it may get rubbed off by tight clothing or on your breasts.
If you start using the patch on the first day of your period, and up to and including the fifth day of your period, you'll be protected from pregnancy straight away.
If you start using it on any other day, you need to use an additional form of contraception, such as condoms, for the first 7 days.
If you have a short menstrual cycle with your period coming every 23 days or less, starting the patch on the fifth day of your period or later means you may not be protected against pregnancy and will also need additional contraception for the first 7 days.
If you start using it on any other day, you need to use an additional form of contraception, such as condoms, for the first 7 days.
If you have a short menstrual cycle with your period coming every 23 days or less, starting the patch on the fifth day of your period or later means you may not be protected against pregnancy and will also need additional contraception for the first 7 days.
(1) Patch falls off
The contraceptive patch is very sticky and should stay on. It shouldn't come off after a shower, bath, hot tub, sauna or swim.
If the patch does fall off, what you need to do depends on how long it has been off, and how many days the patch was on before it came off.
If it's been off for less than 48 hours:
Stick it back on as soon as possible if it's still sticky. If it is not sticky, put a new patch on (don't try to hold the old patch in place with a plaster or bandage). Continue to use your patch as normal and change your patch on your normal change day.
You are protected against pregnancy and won't need additional contraception if it is used correctly for 7 days before it comes off. However, if the patch falls off after using it for 6 days or less, use additional contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days
If it's been off for 48 hours or more, or you're not sure how long:
Apply a new patch as soon as possible and start a new patch cycle (this will now be day one of your new cycle). Use additional contraception, such as condoms, for the next 7 days. Contact our Click Doctor team or speak to your GP for advice if you've had unprotected sex in the previous few days as you may need emergency contraception.
(2) Forgetting to take the patch off
If you forget to take the patch off after week 1 or 2, what you should do depends on how many extra hours it has been left on.
If you remove it before going over 48 hours (it's been on for 8 or 9 days in total):
If it's been on for 48 hours or longer than it should have been (10 days or more in total)
Forgetting to put a patch on after the patch-free week
Put on a new patch as soon as you remember. This is the beginning of your new patch cycle. You'll now have a new day of the week as your start day and change day.
If you remember to stick on the patch before 48 hours has passed (the patch-free interval has been 9 days or less), you'll still be protected against pregnancy, as long as you wore the patch correctly before the patch-free interval.
If you're more than 48 hours late sticking on the patch (the interval has been 10 days or more), you may not be protected against pregnancy and will need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days. Contact our Click Doctor team or speak to your GP for advice if you've had unprotected sex in the previous few days as you may need emergency contraception
The contraceptive patch is very sticky and should stay on. It shouldn't come off after a shower, bath, hot tub, sauna or swim.
If the patch does fall off, what you need to do depends on how long it has been off, and how many days the patch was on before it came off.
If it's been off for less than 48 hours:
Stick it back on as soon as possible if it's still sticky. If it is not sticky, put a new patch on (don't try to hold the old patch in place with a plaster or bandage). Continue to use your patch as normal and change your patch on your normal change day.
You are protected against pregnancy and won't need additional contraception if it is used correctly for 7 days before it comes off. However, if the patch falls off after using it for 6 days or less, use additional contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days
If it's been off for 48 hours or more, or you're not sure how long:
Apply a new patch as soon as possible and start a new patch cycle (this will now be day one of your new cycle). Use additional contraception, such as condoms, for the next 7 days. Contact our Click Doctor team or speak to your GP for advice if you've had unprotected sex in the previous few days as you may need emergency contraception.
(2) Forgetting to take the patch off
If you forget to take the patch off after week 1 or 2, what you should do depends on how many extra hours it has been left on.
If you remove it before going over 48 hours (it's been on for 8 or 9 days in total):
- take off the old patch and put on a new one
- continue to use it as normal, changing it on your normal change day.
- you don't need to use any additional contraception and you're protected from pregnancy
If it's been on for 48 hours or longer than it should have been (10 days or more in total)
- apply a new patch as soon as possible
- this is now week 1 of your new patch cycle and you'll have a new start day and change day.
- you need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, to make sure you're protected from pregnancy for the next 7 days
- see a GP or nurse for advice if you've had unprotected sex in the previous few days as you may need emergency contraception
Forgetting to put a patch on after the patch-free week
Put on a new patch as soon as you remember. This is the beginning of your new patch cycle. You'll now have a new day of the week as your start day and change day.
If you remember to stick on the patch before 48 hours has passed (the patch-free interval has been 9 days or less), you'll still be protected against pregnancy, as long as you wore the patch correctly before the patch-free interval.
If you're more than 48 hours late sticking on the patch (the interval has been 10 days or more), you may not be protected against pregnancy and will need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days. Contact our Click Doctor team or speak to your GP for advice if you've had unprotected sex in the previous few days as you may need emergency contraception
Like all medicines, Evra patch can potentially cause side effects. These include increased vaginal discharge, headaches, nausea, breast tenderness and mood changes. This is typically temporary and improves with time.
Other more serious but rare side effects include blood clots and very small increased risk of breast and cervical cancers.
Other more serious but rare side effects include blood clots and very small increased risk of breast and cervical cancers.
Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions or on particular medicines. It is very important you declare your full medical history to our Click Doctors via our online consultations so that a proper judgement can be made on its safety.
Evra Patch is not suitable:
Evra Patch is not suitable:
- If you are allergic to its active ingredients or any other of its ingredients.
- If you have been diagnosed with acute porphyrias, atrial fibrillation, benign hepatocellular adenoma, Budd-Chiari syndrome, cardiomyopathy with impaired cardiac function, complicated congenital heart diease, complicated valvular heart disease, current breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, hypertension, hypertensive retinopathy, ischaemic heart disease, known thrombogenic mutations (e.g. factor V Leiden, prothrombin mutation, protein S, protein C and antithrombin deficiencies), positive antiphospholipid antibodies, systemic lupus erythematosus with antiphospholipid antibodies or migraine with aura
- History of stroke, transient ischaemic attack, peripheral vascular disease and/ or venous thrombosis
- Less than 3 weeks after giving birth in non-breastfeeding women with other risk factors for venous thromboembolism
- Less than 6 weeks after birth in breastfeeding women
- Major surgery with prolonged immobilisation
- Smoking in patients aged 35 years and over (15 or more cigarettes daily)
