What Is Persona?
PERSONA is a method of contraception that works in harmony with your body.
It works by monitoring the changes in hormones (luteinising hormone and estrogen) which control your cycle and identifies the days when you are at significant risk of becoming pregnant.
PERSONA consists of Test Sticks and a hand-held Monitor.
The Test Sticks collect hormones from your first urine of the day and process them into information that the Monitor can read.
The Monitor reads, stores and uses the information from the Test Sticks to let you know whether you are at risk of becoming pregnant (‘Red’ Day) or free to make love without a contraceptive* (‘Green’ Day).
Through its coloured Lights and Display Screen your Monitor tells you your contraceptive status.
*Based on independent trials PERSONA is 94% reliable when used according to the instructions and as the only method of contraception. This means that if 100 women use PERSONA for one year, 6 are expected to become pregnant as a result of sex on a Green Day due to PERSONA incorrectly identifying their fertile days.
Is Persona Right For You?
Before starting to use PERSONA you need to be absolutely sure that it is the right method of contraception for you. Unipath, maker of PERSONA want to ensure that you make the best decision for yourself. To find out if PERSONA suits you please read the information below.
You must NOT use PERSONA if…
- your cycles are shorter than 23 days
- your cycles are longer than 35 days
- you have experienced menopausal symptoms
- you are breast feeding
- you are using hormonal treatments e.g.
- hormonal contraception
- fertility treatments
- hormone replacement therapy - you are using any other treatment which may affect your cycle
- you are currently taking antibiotics containing tetracyclines. If you have any doubts about whether the antibiotic you are taking contains tetracyclines, you should consult your pharmacist or doctor.
- you have impaired liver or kidney function or polycystic ovarian syndrome
- you are unable to accept the risk of pregnancy associated with the use of PERSONA
No method of contraception can provide 100% protection against pregnancy. Based on independent trials, PERSONA is 94% reliable when used according to the instructions and as the only method of contraception. This means that if 100 women use PERSONA for one year, 6 are expected to become pregnant as a result of sex on a Green Light Day due to PERSONA incorrectly identifying their fertile days. The reliability of PERSONA is dependent on abstinence on all 'Red' Days. The risk of pregnancy is considerably greater if you have sex on a 'Red' Day even if you use a barrier method of contraception, e.g. a condom.
You cannot use PERSONA straightaway if...
- you have recently been or are currently using:
- hormonal contraception e.g. the pill, a hormone-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device, implants, injections, emergency contraception
- treatments that affect your cycle. Check with your doctor.
You must wait until you have stopped using the hormonal contraception or finished the course of treatment as instructed by your doctor. Then, you MUST WAIT until you have had at least two natural, consecutive cycles, each lasting 23-35 days, and your third period starts before using PERSONA. As hormonal contraception will affect your cycle you may have to wait several months before you know whether your natural cycles are between 23-35 days in length. If you do not wait, the reliability of PERSONA will be significantly reduced. - you have recently been pregnant (even if not carried to full term). You must wait before you start using PERSONA. See above.
- you have recently been breast feeding. You must completely finish breast feeding and you must then wait before you start using PERSONA. See above.
Please note that while you are waiting to use PERSONA you are at risk of becoming pregnant. Please consult your family planning clinic or your doctor for contraceptive advice.
Please call the PERSONA Line or consult your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.
PERSONA MUST BE USED ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE USER GUIDE. PERSONA OFFERS NO PROTECTION FROM SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS OR HIV, THE VIRUS WHICH CAUSES AIDS. PERSONA is an in vitro diagnostic medical device designed for home use. Not to be taken. Not for internal use. Keep out of the reach of children.
How Do You Use Persona?
PERSONA is easy to use. Once your period has started, you simply press a button on the Monitor. PERSONA then uses coloured lights to inform you when you are free to make love without contraceptives or need to do a test to find out. Just check your Monitor each morning to see which light is shining.
You must press your 'm' Button at the start of each of your cycles. You do this by waiting for your period to begin and then pressing the 'm' Button at a time that is convenient for you to test your FIRST urine of the day.
How Does Persona Work?
PERSONA works by monitoring the hormones that directly control your cycle.
The levels of these natural chemical 'messages' rise and fall as they regulate the various stages of your cycle. This makes it possible to identify the days around ovulation when you are at significant risk of becoming pregnant.*
The Test Sticks collect hormones from your first urine of the day and process them into information that can be read by the Monitor. The Monitor then reads, stores and uses this information to let you know whether you are at risk of becoming pregnant ('Red' Day) or free to make love without a contraceptive* ('Green' Day).
The egg usually only survives for up to a day, however it is possible for sperm to survive for several days inside your body around the time of ovulation. PERSONA takes into account both egg and sperm survival times.*
During the first month of use, PERSONA will ask for 16 tests (day 6 and days 9-23) in order to build up a complete picture of your individual cycle as quickly as possible. From then on it will only ask for a test on 8 days of each cycle.
*Based on independent trials, PERSONA is 94% reliable when used according to the instructions and as the only method of contraception. This means that if 100 women use PERSONA for one year, 6 are expected to become pregnant as a result of sex on a 'Green' Day due to PERSONA incorrectly identifying their fertile days.
