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The birth control patch is a combination birth control containing estrogen and progestin, like combination birth control pills. Instead of taking a pill every day, you stick a beige patch on your body to deliver the hormones. You wear the patch for three weeks and then go one week without it. The new patch is placed after your patch-free week.

The patch has similar side effects and benefits to combination birth control pills because it contains the same hormones. It also has about the same effectiveness with about 1 in 100 women per year getting pregnant on the patch with correct usage. The patch does have a risk of coming loose so it’s important to make sure you have applied it correctly. And it does not protect against STDs, so let’s say this together: condoms!

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