BIRTH CONTROL CHART (PILLS LISTED)

[Guest guest]

HI I know the list of BC's you're talking about hon but just can't find the doggone thing..... arghhhh meanwhile here's another one I have, hope it helps a little bit.

Dee~

Estrogen and Progestin Hormone Doses in Combined Birth Control Pills

Estrogen levelethinyl estradiol(micrograms)

Pill Brand Name

Progestin

Dose (mg)

20 mcgm

Alesse®

levonorgestrel

0.10

Levlite®

levonorgestrel

0.10

Loestrin 1/20® Fe

norethindrone acetate

1.00

Mircette®

desogestrel

0.15

Ortho Evra®(patch)

norelgestromin(norgestimate metabolite)

0.15

phasic20/30/35 mcgm

Estrostep® Fe

norethindrone acetate

1.0/1.0/1.0

30 mcgm

Levlen®

levonorgestrel

0.15

Levora®

levonorgestrel

0.15

Nordette®

levonorgestrel

0.15

Lo/Ovral®

norgestrel

0.30

Desogen®

desogestrel

0.15

Ortho-Cept®

desogestrel

0.15

Loestrin® 1.5/30

norethindrone acetate

1.50

Yasmin®

drospirenone

3.0

phasic30/40/30 mcgm

Triphasil®

levonorgestrel

0.05/0.075/0.125

Tri-Levlen®

levonorgestrel

0.05/0.075/0.125

Trivora®

levonorgestrel

0.05/0.075/0.125

35 mcgm

Ortho-Cyclen®

norgestimate

0.25

Ovcon-35®

norethindrone

0.40

Brevicon®

norethindrone

0.50

Modicon®

norethindrone

0.50

Necon®

norethindrone

1.00

Norethin®

norethindrone

1.00

Norinyl® 1/35

norethindrone

1.00

Ortho-Novum® 1/35

norethindrone

1.00

Demulen® 1/35

ethynodiol diacetate

1.00

Zovia® 1/35E

ethynodiol diacetate

1.00

phasic35/35 mcgm

Ortho-Novum® 10/11

norethindrone

0.50/1.00

Jenest®

norethindrone

0.50/1.00

phasic35/35/35 mcgm

Ortho-Tri-Cyclen®

norgestimate

0.15/0.215/0.25

Ortho-Novum® 7/7/7

norethindrone

0.50/0.75/1.00

Tri-Norinyl®

norethindrone

0.50/1.00/0.50

50 mcgm

Necon® 1/50

norethindrone

1.00

Norinyl® 1/50

norethindrone

1.00

Ortho-Novum® 1/50

norethindrone

1.00

Ovcon-50®

norethindrone

1.00

Ovral®

norgestrel

0.50

Demulen® 1/50

ethynodiol diacetate

1.00

Zovia® 1/50E

ethynodiol diacetate

1.00

Which pills have higher progestin side effects or cause more acne and hair growth?

Each progestin has a different potency, milligram per milligram, in terms of progesterone effect to stop menstrual bleeding or androgen effect to stimulate acne and hair growth. However you must remember that a higher potency progestin may be used in a much smaller milligram dose and thus be equivalent to a larger milligram dose of a less potent progestin. For example, desogestrel is a very potent and androgenic progestin but its usual oral contraceptive dose is 0.15 mg instead of 1.00 mg for norethindrone. Its progestin potency compared to norethindrone would be 0.15 X 9.0 = 1.35 times. For androgenicity, it would be 0.15 X 3.4 = .51 or half as androgenic as a pill containing 1 mg of norethindrone.

Progestin Potency of Different Oral Contraceptive Progestins*

Progestin

Progestational Activity(relative to 1 mg of norethindrone)

Androgenic Activity(relative to 1 mg of norethindrone)

norethindrone 1 mg

1.0

1.0

norethrindrone acetate 1 mg

1.2

1.6

ethynodiol diacetate 1 mg

1.4

0.6

levonorgestrel 1 mg

5.3

8.3

dl-norgestrel 1 mg

2.6

4.2

norgestimate 1 mg

1.3

1.9

norelgestromin 1 mg**

1.3

1.9

desogestrel 1 mg

9.0

3.4

drospirenone 1 mg

1.5

0.0* - From Table 2 in Dickey RP: Individualizing oral contraceptive therapy. OBG Management Supplement October 2000, p 5.** - Not yet tested but it is the major active metabolite of norgestimate

The pills that are likely to cause worse acne and hair growth side effects are those pills high in androgenicity and the lowest in estrogen content. Such pills might include:

Loestrin® 1.5/30 Loestrin® 1/20 Fe Estrostep® Fe Levlen® Alesse® Ovral® Norlestrin® 1/50 Keep in mind that MOST women on these above pills DO NOT have acne problems, just those that have a tendency toward androgenicity. What pills would be better for ...?

In order to classify an oral contraceptive as an estrogen dominant, progestin dominant or androgenic pill, you must multiply the actual dose of the components times the relative potency of that component. Keep in mind that these are relative classification and do not always hold from one woman to another. For different oral contraceptive side effects, you might consider switching to the pills indicated in the table below to minimize those side effects.

Current Pill Problems and Choice of Pill to Switch To

Side Effect/Problem

Principal need

Pill Suggestions

Acne

higher estrogen, lower androgen potency

Yasmin®, Demulen® 1/50, Othro-Tri Cyclen®, Ortho-Cyclen®, Yasmin®, Brevicon®, Modicon®, Necon®, Ortho Evra®, Mircette®

Break-through bleeding

higher estrogen, higher progestin potency, lower androgen potency

Yasmin®, Demulen® 1/50, Zovia® 1/50E, Ovcon® 50, Desogen®, Ortho-Cept®, Estrostep® Fe, Loestrin® 1/20

Absent or too light menstrual flow

higher estrogen, lower progestin potency

Ortho-Cyclen®, Ovcon® 35, Brevicon®, Modicon®, Necon® 1/50, Norinyl® 1/50, Ortho-Novum® 1/50, Necon® 1/35, Norinyl® 1/35, Ortho-Novum® 1/35,

Depression

lower progestin potency

Ortho Evra®, Ovcon® 35, Ortho-TriCyclen®, Othro-Cyclen®, Brevicon®, Modicon®, Necon® 1/35, Alesse®, Levlite®, Tri-Levlen®, Triphasil®, Trivora®

Moodiness or irritability

lower progestin potency

Ortho Evra®, Ovcon® 35, Ortho Tri-Cyclen®, Othro-Cyclen®, Brevicon®, Modicon®, Necon® 1/35, Alesse®, Levlite®, Tri-Levlen®, Triphasil®, Trivora®

Headaches (not menstrual migraines)

lower estrogen, lower progestin potency

Ortho Evra®, Alesse®, Levlite®,

Breast soreness

lower estrogen, lower progestin potency

Yasmin®*, Ortho Evra®, Alesse®, Levlite®, Loestrin® 1/20 Fe, any lower estrogen pill than currently on

Weight gain

lower estrogen, lower progestin potency

Yasmin®*, Ortho Evra®, Alesse®, Levlite®, Loestrin® 1/20 Fe, any lower estrogen pill than currently on

Severe menstrual cramps

higher progestin potency

Yasmin®, Desogen®, Ortho-Cept®, Mircette®, Loestrin® 1.5/30, Demulen® 1/35, Zovia® 1/35E, Demulen® 1/50, Zovia® 1/50E

Endometriosis or endometriosis prevention

lower estrogen, higher progestin potency, higher androgen potency

Loestrin® 1.5/30, Loestrin® 1/20 Fe, LoOvral®, Levlen®, Levora®, Nordette®, Demulen® 1/35, Zovia® 1/35, (used either continuously with zero days of placebo pills or with only 4 days of placebo pills for prevention)* - The progestin has anti-water retention properties