In short

  • Yasmin is a popular form of the combined contraceptive pill, this means that it contains synthetic versions of both oestrogen and progesterone.
  • Yasmin is only available on prescription, but you don’t necessarily need to get it from your GP.
  • You can also obtain Yasmin from a sexual health centre, family planning clinic, or online pharmacies, such as Simple Online Pharmacy.

What is Yasmin?

Yasmin is a popular form of the combined contraceptive pill, this means that it contains synthetic versions of both oestrogen and progesterone. 

Can you buy Yasmin over the counter in the UK?

Yasmin is only available on prescription, but you don’t necessarily need to get it from your GP. You can also obtain Yasmin from a sexual health centre, family planning clinic, or online pharmacies, such as Simple Online Pharmacy. However, before being prescribed the contraceptive pill, you will need to be assessed by a doctor to ensure that it is safe and appropriate for you.

Alternative treatments

There are a large number of different contraceptive options including condoms, the diaphragm, IUD, IUS, implant, injection, vaginal rings and patches. It is worth looking into the different contraceptive options, because some may be more suitable for you than others. 

But not all women take the pill for contraception. If you use the pill for period delay, you could also use Norethisterone (Utovlan) to postpone your period short term. Many women also take the pill to avoid period pain. Some long-acting contraceptive methods such as the implant and the IUD can also help to reduce painful periods. In addition, Ibuprofen is an effective painkiller for period pain. 

Sources

References

1 source was selected to match the subject of this article. Link destinations were checked twice when added. This does not mean every statement has been individually source-mapped or clinically approved.

  1. Yasmin film-coated tablets — Summary of Product Characteristics

    electronic medicines compendium (emc) · HTML · Regulated product information · Link destination checked 5 September 2026

Reference links open the cited source pages. If you spot something out of date, tell our content team.

Who wrote this

Written and reviewed by our team

Authored by

Ian Coakley, Content Writer

Content Writer

Ian is Simple Online Pharmacy’s Content Writer; he joined the team in 2021. He has had a varied career path, starting as a science communicator and freelance editor and writer. While Ian has been published in some independent outfits, Simple Online Pharmacy marks his first foray into writing for a corporate entity.

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Medically reviewed by

Karim Nassar, Co-Founder, Pharmacist & Author

Karim Nassar

Co-Founder, Pharmacist & Author

Karim is a registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and was a founding member of Simple Online Healthcare in 2015. With a Master of Pharmacy degree from Strathclyde University, Karim brings a strong foundation in pharmaceutical care and a passion for leveraging digital solutions to improve patient access to healthcare.

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