Combined pill vs Cap or diaphragm

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Combined pill

£From £0.16/day

Cap or diaphragm

Add your cap or diaphragm review

Overview

Rated 2.8

2602 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 4.1

17 reviews

During or before sex

Frequency

84% - 94%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Combined pill ingredients

Main hormones in Combined pill

progestogen

oestrogen

Cap or diaphragm ingredients

A contraceptive diaphragm or cap is a circular dome made of thin soft silicone although they come in different shapes sizes and materials. You need to use it with a gel that kills sperm called spermicide. The most common active ingredient of spermicides is nonoxynol-9.

What Lowdown reviewers say

31% somewhat negative

47% lighter periods

46% lost sex drive

48% no impact

44% improved skin

Cycle return

36% don’t know impact

82% no impact on mood

82% no change

88% no impact

94% no impact

71% no impact on skin

Cycle return

50% in 1 month

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive

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£From £0.16/day

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Add your cap or diaphragm review

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Combined pill reviews

2602 reviews

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Rigevidon  

This sent me nearly insane with my moods. I had no other side effects other than it made me nearly suicidal. I know you could say maybe it wasn’t the pill but I was fine before taking it, happy in myself, then after I had a mental breakdown I stopped taking it and suddenly felt like myself again. I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s been awful for their mood and I’m surprised they haven’t banned it yet

Read more

Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Combined pill  

I’ve never had Thrush before and went on this pill 2 months ago and got it within the first 20 days of using it. I’ve also felt nauseas everyday since maybe the first week into it. Will symptoms subside? I really hope so. I havent bled but I was on the depo injection for the last year so its normal for it to take a while to bleed again.


Gained weight

0 helpful

1 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Drovelis pill  

My experience is overall positive. For the first month I had breakthrough spotting almost every day, it was light and painless, just a bit worrisome, but it settled in the 2nd month. I started taking Drovelis for painful periods, and I have to say that while they are shorter and lighter, it's not like it completely changed around. I used to take around 4 painkillers a day on my period, now I'm down to one: so it is a big change, but I can't say the periods are painless. In the first month I also had some mood swings, but I can't be sure if that's due to the pill. I'm writing this review because I was very scared of taking birth control after reading so many negative opinions, but overall it's a net positive experience. No changes to my weight, my libido is stable, overall it's nothing too scary.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Rigevidon  

This sent me nearly insane with my moods. I had no other side effects other than it made me nearly suicidal. I know you could say maybe it wasn’t the pill but I was fine before taking it, happy in myself, then after I had a mental breakdown I stopped taking it and suddenly felt like myself again. I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s been awful for their mood and I’m surprised they haven’t banned it yet


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 day ago

Combined pill  

I’ve never had Thrush before and went on this pill 2 months ago and got it within the first 20 days of using it. I’ve also felt nauseas everyday since maybe the first week into it. Will symptoms subside? I really hope so. I havent bled but I was on the depo injection for the last year so its normal for it to take a while to bleed again.


Gained weight

0 helpful

1 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Drovelis pill  

My experience is overall positive. For the first month I had breakthrough spotting almost every day, it was light and painless, just a bit worrisome, but it settled in the 2nd month. I started taking Drovelis for painful periods, and I have to say that while they are shorter and lighter, it's not like it completely changed around. I used to take around 4 painkillers a day on my period, now I'm down to one: so it is a big change, but I can't say the periods are painless. In the first month I also had some mood swings, but I can't be sure if that's due to the pill. I'm writing this review because I was very scared of taking birth control after reading so many negative opinions, but overall it's a net positive experience. No changes to my weight, my libido is stable, overall it's nothing too scary.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments


Cap or diaphragm reviews

17 reviews

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6 days ago

Cap or diaphragm  

This is a test!


Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Cap or diaphragm  

This is a test!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Apr 25

Cap or diaphragm  

I’ve enjoyed using the cap around my fertile window but struggle to feel 100% confident I have inserted it correctly. When removing the cap I notice a lot of discharge but not after use, only when removing. Way better than the pill or condoms for me.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6 days ago

Cap or diaphragm  

This is a test!


Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Cap or diaphragm  

This is a test!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Apr 25

Cap or diaphragm  

I’ve enjoyed using the cap around my fertile window but struggle to feel 100% confident I have inserted it correctly. When removing the cap I notice a lot of discharge but not after use, only when removing. Way better than the pill or condoms for me.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th May 24

Cap or diaphragm  

Apart from the issue I'm currently dealing with (it getting stuck inside of me), I LOVE the diaphragm. I found out I wasn't never fitted (which is why it kept getting stuck upon removal), so my new, awesome doctor actually sized me. It's easier than popping in a tampon once you learn how to do it and then ya pop it out the morning after sex. No side effects, no hormones, no emotional hangover. It's very hard to find though. Pharmaceutical companies don't want women to buy one silicone object that lasts for the rest of your life, so finding the right size and actually getting it has been a challenge. My mom used it and only got pregnant to have me (her only child) and I've been using it for 5+ years with no issues.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1st Jan 24

Cap or diaphragm  

I've used Caya several times over the past couple years (they last up to 2 years- due for a new one now). I use it on the edges of my fertile window (with fertility awareness) and/or combined with withdrawal or condoms to boost efficacy during the fertile window. Always use with Caya/Contragel- they come with an applicator to re-insert the gel into the vagina, as you need to reapply the gel each time you have sex. Watching the YouTube instructions on how to put it in (plus the instruction manual in the box!) helped me understand how to use it properly and to have an idea of how it was inserted properly.


Top side effects not reported

2 helpful

2 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th Feb 23

Cap or diaphragm  

I used the caya cap. It has been a game changer after previously taking the pill. I feel in control, no need to remember to take a pill, just put it in when needed. Better than condoms as it is women based and not detectable. Effect of not taking hormonal contraceptives has been amazing. All the side effects that I had ( migraines, reduced sex drive, dryness, breast tenderness, strong period pains, breakthrough bleeding and emotionalness) all gone. I wish someone had told me about it before!


Very positive mood

2 more effects

1 helpful

1 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2nd Dec 22

Cap or diaphragm  

Having experienced terrible physical and mental health side effects from both types of contraceptive pill (Combined and POP), and permanent pain and repeated UTIs with the copper coil, I hoped that Caya diaphragm would be a suitable non-hormonal method to try. Unfortunately, I found insertion very tricky - it seems I have a case of "deep vagina, small fingers", as I could never tell whether I'd pushed the diaphragm up far enough to cover my cervix, and sex was always a bit uncomfortable. I'm naturally prone to cystitis and thrush, and getting both while using the diaphragm also put me off using it long term. However, on the plus side - I didn't get pregnant (though I was still breastfeeding a lot, and my periods hadn't yet returned postpartum), and I did manage to avoid the hormonal depression, skin changes and weight gain/loss that I've experienced in the past with pills.


Top side effects not reported

3 helpful

1 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  12th May 21

Cap or diaphragm  

All in all it was acceptable


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  23rd Aug 19

Cap or diaphragm  

Fiddly and a faff. Didn’t bother a couple of times and ended up pregnant. He’s nearly 20 now and I’m still married to his father so not all bad :) Tried the copper coil for a bit after but it gave me very heavy periods and stomach cramps which had never been a problem before. Switched to the mirena coil and now on my third - no periods for 15 years and no menopausal symptoms despite being 52. What’s not to like?


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Cap or diaphragm  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  21st Aug 19

Cap or diaphragm  

I was only using it shortly, as I wanted to avoid hormones. It was not bad, but the need of using a spermicide as well was the reason why I stopped, I had vaginal discharge caused by the spermicide.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Combined pill with other contraceptives

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