Combined pill
Yaz pills: price, side effects and how to take them
Yaz (drospirenone 3 mg + ethinylestradiol 20 mcg)
Quick answer
Yaz (drospirenone 3 mg + ethinylestradiol 20 mcg) is a low-dose combined pill made by Bayer. Each 28-tablet pack has 24 hormone tablets and 4 inactive tablets, a shorter break than most pills.
It costs from ₱889 a pack and needs a reseta (Prescription. All birth control pills need one in the Philippines.). Lizelle and Ermina have the same active ingredients and dose for less.
Key facts
- Generic name
- drospirenone 3 mg + ethinylestradiol 20 mcg
- Type
- Combined pill (estrogen + progestin)
- Pack
- 28 tablets: 24 hormone, 4 inactive
- Prescription
- Required in the Philippines
- Price this month
- From ₱889 a pack
Yaz pairs a low 20 mcg dose of ethinylestradiol with drospirenone (A progestin used in Yaz, Yasmin and their same-formula brands.), a progestin different from the levonorgestrel in Trust (levonorgestrel + ethinylestradiol) or Lady (levonorgestrel + ethinylestradiol). Bayer makes it. Its older sibling is Yasmin (drospirenone 3 mg + ethinylestradiol 30 mcg), which has more estrogen and a classic 21-tablet pack.
Price is where Yaz stands out, in the wrong direction. It was ₱889 at Rose Pharmacy (marked down), ₱943 at Watsons and ₱1,037.79 through Hati.[src][src] Two brands have exactly the same formula: Lizelle, the same 24 plus 4 layout, from ₱815, and Ermina, listed as a 24-tablet pack, from ₱720. Our research does not name their makers.
On r/PCOSPhilippines, Yaz is often weighed against Diane-35 (cyproterone acetate + ethinylestradiol) for acne, with mixed experiences on both.[src] That is experience, not evidence; our acne sources cover cyproterone pills, so ask your doctor which fits your skin and health history.
Yaz price in the Philippines
Prices checked October 2026. Every pharmacy below requires a prescription.
| Retailer | Pack | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose PharmacyPrescription required | 28 tablets | ₱889.00 | October 2026 |
| WatsonsPrescription required | 28 tablets | ₱943.00 | October 2026 |
| Hati / MedsGoPrescription required | 28 tablets | ₱1,037.79 | October 2026 |
| Mercury Drug | No public online price | [TODO: verify] | |
| Southstar Drug | No public online price | [TODO: verify] |
Same formula, lower price: Ermina
Ermina has exactly the same active ingredients and dose as Yaz. It costs about ₱169 less a pack, roughly ₱2,197 a year. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if switching is right for you.
How to take Yaz
Take one tablet a day at about the same time, following the arrows: 24 hormone tablets, then 4 inactive tablets. Start the next pack the day after the last inactive tablet, with no gap. Your withdrawal bleed (The bleed during the inactive or break days of a pill pack. It is not a true period.) usually comes during the inactive days and may run into the first days of the new pack.
Because Yaz has only 20 mcg of estrogen, WHO's stricter missed-pill rule kicks in sooner: missing 2 hormone tablets in a row counts like missing 3 on a 30 mcg pill.[src] Use the Missed Pill Helper if it happens.
When to start: the WHO handbook says you can start a combined pill within the first 5 days of your period with no extra protection, or any other day if you are reasonably sure you are not pregnant, using condoms for the first 7 days.[src] Your leaflet and doctor may name a specific day. See your dates with the When am I protected? calculator.
24 hormone tablets and 4 inactive tablets, a shorter break than most packs.
If you miss a Yaz pill
Yaz is a low-dose (20 mcg) combined pill, so the stricter rule applies sooner. Missing 1 hormone pill: take it as soon as you remember and carry on. Missing 2 or more in a row: take one now, use condoms for 7 days, and if it happened in the last hormone week, skip the inactive pills and start a new pack.
If you had sex in the last 5 days and missed pills, talk to a doctor today about emergency options. If unsure, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
Open the Missed Pill HelperYaz side effects and what Filipinas worry about
In the first 3 months some people get spotting between periods, sore breasts, nausea, headaches or mood changes, which usually settle.[src] Mood comes up a lot in Yaz threads. If low mood or irritability lasts past about 3 months, switching formula is a normal next step with your doctor; if you have thoughts of self-harm, get help now.
Light or missing bleeds are common on low-dose pills like Yaz. One Filipina on Reddit worried because she was on her third inactive tablet and still had no bleed.[src] If you took every hormone tablet on time, pregnancy is unlikely, and a test settles it.[src] Like all combined pills, Yaz carries a small risk of blood clots and is not for smokers 35 and over or people with migraine with aura.[src] A racing heart with chest pain, a swollen painful leg or sudden breathlessness needs emergency care.
Nakakataba ba ang Yaz?
The evidence says no large effect. A Cochrane review of placebo-controlled trials found no large weight change from combined pills,[src] and the NHS says there is no evidence the pill makes you put on weight.[src] Early bloating happens to some and usually settles. Basahin sa Taglish.
Delay ng mens habang nag-pi-pills?No period during the placebo week?
Light or missed withdrawal bleeds are common on the pill, especially low-dose pills like Yaz. If you took your pills correctly, pregnancy is unlikely, and a pregnancy test settles it. Start your next pack on schedule.
Read moreDiane-35 o Yaz para sa acne?Which pill helps acne or PCOS?
Cyproterone acetate pills (Diane-35, Althea, Cybelle) are approved for moderate to severe androgen-related acne and excess hair, usually after other treatments. They should not be combined with another hormonal contraceptive. Acne often takes a few cycles to improve and can return after stopping.
Read moreDelikado ba ang pills?Are pills dangerous? What about blood clots?
The risk of a blood clot on the combined pill is real but small. Combined pills are not suitable for smokers 35 and over, people with migraine with aura, a past clot, high blood pressure and some other conditions. Chest pain, leg swelling or sudden breathlessness are emergencies.
Bakit ang bilis uminit ng ulo ko sa pills?Can pills affect my mood?
Mood changes are a recognised early side effect for some people. If they last beyond about 3 months, switching to a different formula is a normal next step with your doctor. If you have thoughts of self-harm, get urgent help now.
Read moreMay kamahalan ang pills.Pills are too expensive.
Prices range widely, and several cheaper brands have the exact same formula as the expensive ones. Pills, injectables, implants and IUDs are also free at public health facilities, subject to supply.
Read moreThe 24/4 pack and lighter bleeds
Most pills give you 21 hormone days and a 7-day break. Yaz gives 24 hormone days and only 4 inactive days. That shorter hormone-free stretch is the design difference between Yaz and Yasmin, besides the estrogen dose. Many users notice lighter, shorter bleeds, and some get barely any bleed at all, which is common on low-dose pills.[src]
The 4 inactive tablets also matter for missed pills. Missing hormone tablets near the end of the 24 days, right before the inactive tablets, is the riskiest time, which is why the rule for the last hormone week is to skip the inactive tablets and start a new pack.[src] Lizelle copies the 24/4 layout. Ermina is listed as 24 tablets, so check its leaflet for how the break works.
Who should not take Yaz
Who should not take it
Combined pills may not be safe for you if:
- You smoke and are 35 or older
- You get migraine with aura (flashing lights or zigzags before a headache)
- You have had a blood clot in a leg or lung, or a stroke
- You have high blood pressure
- You gave birth less than 6 weeks ago and are breastfeeding
- You have some heart, liver or diabetes conditions
Combined pills may not be safe for you. Talk to a doctor. A progestin-only pill, implant or IUD is often an option instead.
Common side effects
Spotting between periods, sore breasts, nausea, headaches and mood changes, mostly in the first 3 months. Most settle within about 3 months. More on side effects.
When to get urgent help
Go to an emergency room now for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, coughing blood, a painful swollen leg, a sudden severe headache, vision changes or weakness on one side.
Check the product is registered
Buy only from licensed pharmacies. You can look up a product on the FDA Philippines verification portal.
Same formula, different price
Drospirenone 3 mg + EE 20 mcg. Same active ingredients and dose; pack and inactive tablets can differ.
Three legal routes
Get a prescription
Yaz needs a prescription in the Philippines. Pick the route that suits you. For adults 18 and over.
Free at a health center
Barangay health centers, RHUs, DOH hospitals and Likhaan. Subject to supply.
See an OB-GYN in person
Clinic visit, prescription in hand. Bring it to any licensed pharmacy.
Online consult
A licensed doctor by video or chat. From ₱700 on some platforms.
Online consult options
For adults 18 and over. Fees are set by each provider and can change.
Yaz FAQ
Diane-35 o Yaz para sa acne?
Magkaiba ang dalawa. Ang Diane-35 ay may cyproterone acetate at ito ang may acne approval na binabanggit namin (EMA). Ang Yaz ay may drospirenone. Iba-iba ang karanasan ng mga Pinay sa Reddit. Doktor ang dapat pumili base sa balat at health history mo.
Third placebo pill na sa Yaz pero di pa rin ako dinadatnan. Buntis ba ako?
Karaniwan ang mahina o walang regla sa low-dose pills tulad ng Yaz. Kung nainom mo nang tama ang lahat ng hormone tablets, maliit ang tsansa na buntis ka. Mag-pregnancy test para sigurado, at simulan ang bagong pack sa tamang araw.
Is Lizelle the same as Yaz?
Yes. Lizelle has the same drospirenone 3 mg + ethinylestradiol 20 mcg and the same 24 plus 4 pack. Lizelle costs from ₱815 and Yaz from ₱889 at the pharmacies we checked. Ermina has the same formula too, from ₱720.
Why is Yaz so expensive?
Yaz is the Bayer original, priced from ₱889 a pack. Same-formula brands cost less. Ask your doctor whether Lizelle or Ermina would suit you, or ask about free pills at a health center.
What is the difference between Yaz and Yasmin?
Both are Bayer pills with drospirenone 3 mg. Yaz has 20 mcg of ethinylestradiol and a 24 plus 4 pack. Yasmin has 30 mcg and a 21-tablet pack with a 7-day break. The missed-pill rules differ too.
I missed 2 Yaz pills. What should I do?
With a 20 mcg pill, missing 2 or more in a row counts as the stricter case: take one now, use condoms for 7 days, and if it was in the last hormone week, skip the inactive tablets and start a new pack. Use the Missed Pill Helper, and if you had sex in the last 5 days, talk to a doctor today.
Do I need a prescription for Yaz?
Yes. Yaz is a prescription medicine in the Philippines, and Watsons, Rose and Hati all ask for one.
This guide is for information. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or switching birth control.
Sources
- Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers, WHO and Johns Hopkins CCP
- Managing missed pills (Family Planning Handbook), WHO and Johns Hopkins CCP
- Combined pill: risks and side effects, NHS
- Combined pill: who can and cannot take it, NHS
- Combination contraceptives: effects on weight (Gallo et al.), Cochrane / PubMed
- Oral contraceptives category, Watsons PH
- Prescription Pharmacy: Contraceptive Agents, Rose Pharmacy
- Placebo week, r/PCOSPhilippines
- Diane 35 or Yaz?, r/PCOSPhilippines
- Benefits of Diane 35 and its generics outweigh risks in certain patient groups, European Medicines Agency