Choosing birth control is an important decision. It’s one you’ll want to feel good about not just for today and next month but potentially for years. Being educated about what’s out there and talking with your healthcare provider about what's right for you can help you make a confident choice and find the birth control option that fits your life.
These are not all the things to consider when thinking about birth control. Talk to your healthcare provider about which methods might be right for you.
As you evaluate methods, it can be helpful to think about birth control in 2 categories based on how they work: hormonal and non-hormonal.
Hormonal birth control works mainly by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). Most hormonal birth control contains a combination of 2 female hormones: estrogen and progestin. Some methods contain only a progestin. Non-hormonal birth control methods work by keeping the sperm from reaching the egg. Each method is not for everyone and may come with particular side effects. Talk to your doctor about which birth control is right for you. We can help you start the conversation.
Choosing a birth control means considering your likes and dislikes as well as your routine. Would a same-time-every-day pill routine suit your schedule best? Or would a weekly or monthly method give you the freedom and flexibility you want? Maybe you just want a longer-acting method so you don't have to think about it again for awhile.
As you evaluate methods, it can be helpful to think about birth control in 2 categories based on how they work: hormonal and non-hormonal.
Hormonal birth control works mainly by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). Most hormonal birth control contains a combination of 2 female hormones: estrogen and progestin. Some methods contain only a progestin. Non-hormonal birth control methods work by keeping the sperm from reaching the egg. Each method is not for everyone and may come with particular side effects. Talk to your doctor about which birth control is right for you. We can help you start the conversation.
Choosing a birth control means considering your likes and dislikes as well as your routine. Would a same-time-every-day pill routine suit your schedule best? Or would a weekly or monthly method give you the freedom and flexibility you want? Maybe you just want a longer-acting method so you don't have to think about it again for awhile.
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Twirla is a weekly hormonal birth control patch for women with a body mass index (BMI) less than 30 kg/m2 that you check daily and change weekly. Twirla is less effective in women with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or more to less than 30 kg/m2. Do not use Twirla if your BMI is 30 kg/m2 or more.
To prevent pregnancy, Twirla needs to remain adhered to the skin for 7 days. Check it daily and after any water exposure to ensure the edges haven’t lifted. Avoid prolonged water exposure—swimming or contact with water often or for long periods of time (30 minutes or more) or the use of makeup, creams, lotions, oils, powders, and other products on the skin area where you put or plan to put the patch.
Twirla does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Twirla® is a weekly birth control patch for women of reproductive potential with a BMI <30 kg/m2 for whom a combined hormonal contraceptive is appropriate.
Twirla is less effective in women with a BMI ≥25 to <30 kg/m2 and should not be used in women with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2.
Do not use TWIRLA if you have or have had blood clots; history of heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure that medicine cannot control, any condition that makes your blood clot more than normal, or certain heart valve problems; smoke and are over 35 years old; BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2.
TWIRLA is also not for women who have diabetes and are over 35 years old, diabetes with high blood pressure or kidney, eye, nerve, or blood vessel damage, diabetes for longer than 20 years; have had breast cancer or any cancer that is sensitive to female hormones; certain kinds of severe migraine headaches; have liver problems or liver tumors; unexplained bleeding from the vagina; who are or may be pregnant; or who take hepatitis C drugs containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, as this may increase levels of liver enzymes in the blood.
TWIRLA may not be a good choice for you if you have ever had depression; jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) caused by pregnancy (also called cholestasis of pregnancy) or related to previous use of hormonal birth control.
TWIRLA increases the risks of serious side effects, including blood clots, stroke, or heart attack especially in women who have other risk factors. These can be life-threatening or lead to permanent disability. This increased risk is highest when you first start using hormonal birth control and when you restart the same or different hormonal birth control after not using it for a month or more. Treatment with TWIRLA should be stopped at least 4 weeks before and through 2 weeks after major surgery.
The most common side effects reported by women using TWIRLA in a study were skin reactions at the patch site, nausea, headache, menstrual cramps, and weight gain.
These are not all the possible side effects of TWIRLA. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
TWIRLA is a birth control patch for women with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2 who can become pregnant. It contains two female hormones, a progestin called levonorgestrel, and an estrogen called ethinyl estradiol. TWIRLA may not be as effective in women with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or more. If you have a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, please talk with your health care provider about which method of birth control is right for you.
You should not use TWIRLA any earlier than 4 weeks after having a baby or if you are breastfeeding.
Hormonal birth control methods help to lower the chances of becoming pregnant when taken as directed. They do not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The risk information provided here is not complete. To learn more, review the TWIRLA Patient Information and talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
