Cilique

Cilique is a combined contraceptive pill containing norgestimate 250 micrograms and ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms. It is licensed in the UK for the prevention of pregnancy and is taken as one tablet daily for 21 days, followed by a seven-day break. Cilique is the generic equivalent of Cilest, which was discontinued in the UK. It is also the same preparation as Lizinna, another norgestimate pill manufactured by Gedeon Richter UK Ltd. This page covers what Cilique is, how it works, how to take it safely, and what you should know before starting a consultation.

Cilique is a monophasic combined pill. That means every tablet in the 21-tablet pack contains exactly the same dose of both hormones throughout the cycle. There are no dose steps or colour changes to navigate.

The pill contains two active hormones. Ethinylestradiol is a synthetic oestrogen. Norgestimate is a synthetic progestogen that your body converts to its active form, norelgestromin, after you take it. Norelgestromin is the compound that actually suppresses ovulation and contributes to the other contraceptive effects.

If you were previously taking Cilest, Cilique contains the same ingredients at the same doses. Nothing clinically changes when you switch. The same applies if you move between Cilique and Lizinna, which is an equivalent preparation by the same manufacturer.

Cilique works in three ways, though the first is by far the most important.

The main action is stopping ovulation. Ethinylestradiol and norgestimate suppress the hormonal signals from your pituitary gland that would normally trigger your ovary to release an egg. No egg released means no pregnancy possible.

At the same time, norgestimate (via its active form, norelgestromin) thickens the cervical mucus. This makes it significantly harder for sperm to travel through the cervix. Even on a cycle where ovulation might not be fully suppressed, this secondary barrier adds an extra layer of protection.

The combined hormonal environment also changes the lining of the uterus, making it less receptive to implantation. In practice, this third mechanism is rarely relevant, because ovulation suppression is so consistent when the pill is taken correctly.

During your seven-day break, hormone levels fall and a withdrawal bleed occurs. This is not a period in the usual sense. It is your body responding to the drop in hormones. It is typically lighter, shorter, and more predictable than a natural period.

Starting for the first time

If you start on day one of your period, you are protected immediately. If you start between days two and five, use condoms or another barrier method for your first seven days on the pill.

If you are switching from another combined pill, take your first Cilique tablet the day after your last active tablet from the previous pack. No break is needed and you remain protected.

If you are switching from a progestogen-only pill, start Cilique on any day and use a barrier method for seven days.

Taking the pill each day

Take one tablet at the same time every day for 21 days. After your 21st tablet, stop for exactly seven days. Start your next pack on day 29, whether or not your withdrawal bleed has finished. That seven-day gap must not go beyond seven days. If it does, you risk ovulation starting again before the new pack takes effect.

Take each tablet whole with water. Try to take it at the same time every day. This keeps hormone levels stable and makes it easier to build the habit.

If you miss a tablet

Under 24 hours late: take it straight away and carry on as normal. You are still protected.

More than 24 hours late: take the missed tablet now and take the next one at the usual time, even if that means two in one day. Use condoms for the next seven days.

Two or more missed in a row: take only the most recently missed tablet. Leave the others. Continue the pack and use condoms for seven days. If the missed tablets were in week one and you had unprotected sex during that time, speak to your prescriber or pharmacist urgently about emergency contraception.

If you vomit within two hours of taking a tablet or have severe diarrhoea, treat it as a missed pill and follow the guidance above.

Cilique comes in one strength: norgestimate 250 micrograms and ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms per tablet. Every tablet in the pack is identical.

The pack contains 21 active tablets. There are no inactive placebo tablets. You take 21 tablets, then stop for seven days, then begin the next pack. Your prescriber will confirm the right starting day for you.

Cilique, Cilest, and Lizinna

All three contain norgestimate 250 micrograms and ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms. Cilest was the original branded version, now discontinued. Cilique and Lizinna are generics made by Gedeon Richter UK Ltd. They are clinically equivalent. If your pharmacy dispenses one in place of another, the contraceptive content is unchanged.

Like all medicines, Cilique can cause side effects, though not everyone experiences them. Common ones include headache, nausea, breast tenderness, mood changes, and changes to your libido. Spotting or irregular bleeding is also common in the first few cycles and usually settles.

Less common side effects include weight changes, contact lens discomfort, and chloasma (patches of darker skin on the face, made worse by sun exposure).

Signs to act on immediately

Stop taking Cilique and seek urgent medical help if you develop any of the following:

1. Sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, or coughing up blood
2. Swelling, warmth, redness, or pain in one leg
3. Sudden severe headache, visual disturbance, slurred speech, or weakness on one side of your body
4. Severe abdominal pain
5. Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes

These may be signs of a blood clot, stroke, or liver problem. All combined pills carry a small increased risk of blood clots compared with not taking hormonal contraception. Norgestimate-containing pills sit in the third-generation progestogen category, which carries a somewhat higher VTE risk than levonorgestrel-based pills, according to MHRA guidance.

Medicines that affect how Cilique works

Some medicines can make Cilique less effective by speeding up how your body processes the hormones. These include rifampicin, certain epilepsy medicines (phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, topiramate), some HIV medicines, and St John's Wort. Tell your prescriber about every medicine, supplement, and herbal product you take. If you are prescribed one of these, you may need additional contraception or a different method altogether.

Cilique is not suitable if you:

• Have ever had a blood clot, stroke, or heart attack
• Have migraine with aura
• Have uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Have liver disease, liver tumours, or a history of jaundice related to pill use
• Have or have had breast cancer or another hormone-sensitive cancer
• Are pregnant
• Are breastfeeding a baby under six weeks old
• Smoke and are 35 or older
• Have diabetes with vascular complications

Cilique may be appropriate if you:

• Are a healthy adult woman with no contraindications to combined hormonal contraception
• Were previously taking Cilest and need a continuing prescription
• Are switching from Lizinna for supply reasons, or vice versa
• Have no personal or family history of blood clots, stroke, or cardiovascular disease

Talk to your prescriber first if you:

• Smoke and are under 35
• Have a BMI above 30
• Have a close family member who had a blood clot before the age of 50
• Have migraines without aura
• Are planning long-haul travel or extended bed rest
• Have a history of depression

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered UK online pharmacy. To receive a prescription for Cilique, you complete a clinical questionnaire. A registered prescriber reads your answers and decides whether Cilique is appropriate for you.

That decision is not automatic. Your prescriber considers your health history, medicines, risk factors, and previous contraceptive experience. The outcome might be a prescription for Cilique, a recommendation for a different preparation, a request for more information, or a referral for an in-person review. Completing the questionnaire is the first step in the clinical process, not the last.

Repeat prescriptions follow the same individual review. Your health can change between consultations, and each review confirms that continuing Cilique remains appropriate at that point in time.

Store your tablets below 25°C, away from direct heat and sunlight. Keep them in the original blister strip so you can track which day you are on. Store out of reach of children. Check the expiry date before use.

If you have leftover or out-of-date tablets, return them to any pharmacy for safe disposal. Do not put them in household waste or flush them down in the toilet.

This reference guide compares the contraceptive preparations available at Pharmacy Planet, grouped by delivery method and formulation type. Every preparation is a Prescription Only Medicine. A registered prescriber will review your individual health profile, contraceptive history, and risk factors before recommending any preparation. This table is a clinical reference, not a recommendation.

Combined Oral Contraceptive Tablets (Monophasic)

Monophasic combined pills contain the same dose of both hormones in every active tablet. The table below compares commonly prescribed monophasic combined oral contraceptives by progestogen type, oestrogen dose, VTE risk category, pack format, and key clinical characteristics.

Important: This comparison is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. A prescriber will decide which treatment is suitable for you following an online consultation.

Every Cilique prescription issued through Pharmacy Planet follows a genuine clinical review by a registered prescriber. We do not approve prescriptions automatically, and our prescribers are not under any pressure to prescribe. If Cilique is not right for you, they will tell you why and point you towards a more appropriate option.

For women who have been on Cilest for years and are now transitioning to Cilique, we understand the context. A repeat prescription is still a clinical review, not a rubber stamp. Your health now is what counts.

Our GPhC registration is verifiable at www.pharmacyregulation.org. The Internet Pharmacy logo on our site confirms our status as a regulated UK online pharmacy. Our team is available if you have questions at any stage.

• Gedeon Richter UK Ltd. Cilique film-coated tablets – Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk/emc. Accessed May 2026.
• Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH). Combined Hormonal Contraception – Clinical Guidance. Available at: www.fsrh.org. Accessed May 2026.
• NHS. Combined pill – your contraception guide. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/combined-contraceptive-pill. Accessed May 2026.
• British National Formulary (BNF). Ethinylestradiol with norgestimate. Available at: bnf.nice.org.uk. Accessed May 2026.
• MHRA. Combined hormonal contraceptives and venous thromboembolism – updated guidance. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency. Accessed May 2026.