Both birth control patch and pill work similarly by releasing hormones that prevent pregnancy and regulate hormone balance. The pill comes in a pack of 21 or 28 pills, depending on the brand, while the patch comes in a pack of 3. Unlike the pill, a new patch is only applied once a week for 3 consecutive weeks, and followed by a patch-free week before a new pack is applied again.

The patch is 99% effective when applied perfectly, meaning the method is used consistently and correctly all the time, but in reality no one is perfect and mistakes happen. Therefore, typical use reduces the effectiveness to around 91%. This also means that 9 out of 100 patch users get pregnant every year.

You can apply it to most parts of the body as long as the skin is clean, dry and not very hairy. It is advisable to change the position of each new patch to reduce the risk of possible skin irritation. You should AVOID these areas:

○ Sore or irritated skin
○ An area where it could be rubbed off by tight clothing
○ Breast area

The side effects of the patch are similar to those of birth control pill, such as nausea and vomiting, light irregular vaginal bleeding, breast tenderness, dizziness and fatigue. However, these side effects do not occur in every user and usually subside within 3 – 6 months as your body gets used to the changes in hormone levels.