Norgeston Contraceptive Pill

About Norgeston Contraceptive Pill

What is the Norgeston pill used for?

Norgeston is an oral contraceptive pill you take daily to prevent pregnancy. It’s a progestogen-only pill (POP), often called the mini pill, and contains the hormone levonorgestrel.

Unlike the combined pill which contains both oestrogen and a progestogen, Norgeston contains a progestogen only. It doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections, so you’ll still need condoms during sex.

How does Norgeston work?

Norgeston contains levonorgestrel, a progestogen. This is a man-made hormone that works in a similar way to progesterone, a female sex hormone your body makes naturally. It prevents pregnancy in three ways:

1. It thickens the mucus in your cervix, making it harder for sperm to reach the womb
2. It stops the lining of your womb thickening enough for an egg to grow in it
3. In some women, it also stops the ovaries releasing an egg each month (ovulation)

You take the Norgeston contraception pill every day without a break, so there’s no pill-free week like there is with many combined pills.

Who can take Norgeston?

Norgeston is suitable for most healthy women looking for birth control, but it isn’t right for everyone. Before you’re prescribed Norgeston, our pharmacists will check your medical history.

It isn’t intended for use before your first menstrual period or after the menopause.

Don’t take Norgeston if you:

• are pregnant or think you might be
• have had severe liver disease and your liver function tests aren’t yet back to normal
• have ever had liver tumours
• have or have had a cancer affected by sex hormones, such as breast cancer
• have vaginal bleeding that hasn’t been explained by a doctor
• have ever had a blood clot in your legs, lungs, heart, brain or anywhere else in your body
• have severe diabetes with changes to your blood vessels
• are allergic to levonorgestrel or any of the other ingredients

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Norgeston if you:

• have diabetes
• have had an ectopic pregnancy or have had one of your fallopian tubes removed
• have ovarian cysts
• have ever had jaundice or persistent itching
• have brown patches on your face or body (chloasma)
• smoke, are seriously overweight, get migraines or have varicose veins
• have a close family member who’s had a blood clot or breast cancer

How To Take Norgeston

Take one Norgeston pill at the same time every day. To keep your contraceptive protection, never take a pill more than 3 hours late.

1. When you start taking Norgeston, take your first pill on the first day of your next period.
2. Start with the pill marked with the correct day of the week.
3. Swallow the pill whole with water if needed. Don’t chew it.
4. Follow the arrows on the strip and take one pill each day until you’ve finished all 35.
5. Start your next strip the very next day, with no break between strips, even during your period.

You can take Norgeston with or without food. As long as you take it correctly, you’ll always start each new strip on the same day of the week.

Side Effects of Norgeston

Like all medicines, Norgeston can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some women have irregular periods, spotting or no periods at all, especially in the first few months. These changes are normally nothing to worry about and should settle after the first few strips.

Common Side Effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of these bother you:

• Bleeding or spotting between periods
• No periods
• Headaches or migraine
• Dizziness
• Feeling sick or being sick
• Low mood or loss of interest in sex
• Putting on weight or losing weight
• Allergic reactions, including wheezing, rash or reddened skin

Serious Side Effects

See a doctor straight away if you notice any of the following, as you may need to stop taking Norgeston:

• Signs of a blood clot, such as pain or swelling in your leg, stabbing pain when you breathe, chest pain or tightness, coughing for no clear reason or sudden weakness or numbness on one side of your body
• A migraine for the first time, a worse migraine than usual or unusually frequent or severe headaches
• Sudden changes to your eyesight, hearing, speech, sense of smell, taste or touch
• Dizziness or fainting
• Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat (a severe allergic reaction)
• Breast changes, such as lumps, dimpling of the skin or changes to the nipple
• Severe pain in your upper tummy, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice) or itching all over your body

If you get any side effects, tell your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report them directly through the Yellow Card Scheme.

Norgeston Ingredients

Active ingredient: Levonorgestrel 30 micrograms

Other ingredients: Lactose, maize starch, povidone, macrogol 6000, calcium carbonate (E170), talc, magnesium stearate (E572), sucrose and glycol montanate

Norgeston contains lactose and sucrose. If you’ve been told you can’t tolerate some sugars, speak to your doctor before taking it.

Warnings and Precautions

• Norgeston doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia or HIV. Only condoms can help with this.
• Hormonal contraception may slightly increase your risk of a blood clot, especially in the first year. Your risk is higher if you smoke, are seriously overweight or have a family history of blood clots.
• Taking the pill slightly increases your risk of breast cancer. Check your breasts every month and see a doctor if you notice any lumps, dimpling or nipple changes.
• Some medicines can stop Norgeston working properly, including some treatments for epilepsy, HIV, hepatitis C and high blood pressure, certain antibiotics, griseofulvin, barbiturates and St John’s wort. Tell your pharmacist about everything you take.
• Norgeston can also affect how other medicines work, including ciclosporin, lamotrigine and some blood thinners.
• Avoid grapefruit juice while taking Norgeston, as it can stop the pill working properly.
• Some women using hormonal contraception report low mood or depression. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you notice changes in your mood.
• If you’re having an operation, tell your doctor. You may need to stop taking Norgeston 4 to 6 weeks beforehand to reduce your risk of a blood clot.
• Tell your doctor you’re taking Norgeston if you need a blood test, as it can affect some results.
• Keep up with regular cervical screening while you’re taking the pill.
• If you have brown patches on your face or body (chloasma), avoid too much sun or UV exposure.
• Keep Norgeston out of the sight and reach of children and don’t use it after the expiry date on the pack.