Ovranette

Ovranette is a contraceptive pill used to prevent pregnancy. Ovranette is a ‘combined’ oral contraceptive pill containing synthetic versions of the two sex hormones produced naturally by the female body (oestrogen and progestogen).

Ovranette is a low-dose contraceptive pill, suitable for women who experience side effects relating to the high oestrogen content in other pills.

When taken correctly, Ovranette is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy in women.

Ovranette is taken every day for 21 days in a row, at around the same time every day. After 21 days, there is a 7-day ‘break’ when you do not take any pills. During this time, your body will produce a ‘withdrawal’ bleed similar to your natural monthly period.

Ovranette is a prescription medication taken by sexually active women as a form of contraception to prevent pregnancy.

You should not take Ovranette if you:

• are or suspect you may be pregnant
• are allergic to any of the listed ingredients
• have had a blood clot (thrombosis in the leg, or embolus in the lung)
• have unexplained vaginal bleeding
• have (or have had) breast or ovarian cancer
• have high blood pressure
• have heart problems (like irregular heartbeats)
• have migraines which disturb your vision or with other associated symptoms
• have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease
• have not yet started to have monthly periods, or no longer have monthly periods due to menopause

You should swallow one Ovranette per day, with or without food or water.

Always follow the directions your prescribing nurse, pharmacist or doctor has given you for using Ovranette.

Each Ovranette packet contains 21 pills, each marked on the packet by the days of the week. Take one Ovranette pill every day for 21 days in a row, matching the days of the week marked on the packet. For example, if you start your packet on a Monday, press your first pill through ‘MON’. Try to remember to take your pill at around the same time every day.

After taking the pill for 21 days, you should have a 7-day ‘break’ period. During this time, you should not take any pills, and you should experience a ‘withdrawal’ bleed like your monthly period, but it is usually lighter and less unpleasant. After the 7-day pill ‘break’, start a new pill packet, and repeat the process.

If you have not taken any form of hormonal contraception in the month before starting Ovranette, take your first pill on the first day of your next period to have complete protection from pregnancy. If you start on any other day of your period, you should use an additional contraceptive method for the first 7 days.

If you are changing to Ovranette from another form of hormonal contraception:

• From a combined pill: start taking Ovranette the next day after your last active combined pill, or no later than the day following your usual 7-day pill-free period
• From progesterone-only pill (mini pill): you can stop any day and start Ovranette the next day

For both examples above, it is advised that you use barrier contraception for the first 7 days of taking Ovranette.

If you are less than 12 hours late from when you usually take your Ovranette pill, take the pill as soon as you remember and continue as usual. You will still be protected from pregnancy.

If you are more than 12 hours late, you may be at risk of pregnancy and need to use an additional barrier method (like condoms) if you have sex over the next 7 days.

Follow these instructions if you miss a pill:

During days 1-14: take your last missed pill as soon as you remember, even if this means taking two pills on the same day. Finish your strip and take your 7-day pill break as usual before starting a new packet. If you missed your pill during the first 7 days of your strip and had sex during that week, you could be pregnant. Contact your doctor as soon as possible to discuss emergency contraception.

During days 15-21: take your missed pill as soon as you remember and finish your strip as usual without taking your 7-day pill break. Start your new packet immediately and wait until you finish the new packet before taking a 7-day break. If you do not get a withdrawal bleed in this break period, you could be pregnant.

If you have missed more than one pill, regularly forget to take your pills, or do not experience a withdrawal bleed during your 7-day pill break, you could be at risk of pregnancy and should speak to your nurse or doctor.

The active ingredients in Ovranette pills are 150mcg levonorgestrel, and 30mcg ethinylestradiol.

The other ingredients in Ovranette are lactose, maize starch, talc, povidone, polyethylene glycol, magnesium stearate, calcium carbonate, sucrose, white wax, and wax carnauba.

Like with all medicines, there is a possibility of side effects when taking Ovranette.

Common side effects of taking Ovranette include:

• Headaches
• Spotting or breakthrough bleeding
• Thrush or other vaginal infections
• Nausea or vomiting
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Changes in weight
• Mood imbalance (including anxiety and depression)
• Feeling dizzy
• Changes in sex drive (libido)
• Spots or acne
• Painful or tender breasts
• Breast enlargement or secretion

Uncommon side effects of taking Ovranette include:

• Upset stomach or diarrhoea
• Skin rash
• Changes in appetite
• Changes to usual menstrual flow
• Chloasma (brown patches on the skin)
• Urticaria (hives)
• Raised blood pressure

See a doctor immediately if you experience:

• signs of an allergic reaction (breathing problems, swelling of lips, face, throat or tongue)
• signs of a blood clot (sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, or a painful swelling in your leg)
• signs of a stroke or heart attack (sudden chest pain which can extend down the left arm, blurred vision, difficulty talking, sudden numbness or weakness down one side of the body, fainting or seizures)

If you have a question about this service, please email info@zavamed.com with the question, and one of our doctors will get back to you within 24 hours.