Ovranette

Ovranette is a combined oral contraceptive pill. It’s 99% successful at preventing pregnancy after penetrative sex, when used perfectly. It’s made with artificial versions of hormones that are naturally found in women, called Oestrogen and Progestogen.

Its active ingredients are levonorgestrel (150mg) and ethinyl estradiol (30mg).

The Ovranette pill should be taken for 21 days in a row, with a 7-day break repeated. This makes a cycle of 28 days in total.

Take one whole pill a day, with or without food or water. It should ideally be taken at the same time every day during the 21-day course.

Then you should take a break for 7 days in a row. During this 7-day break, you may experience a withdrawal bleed that’s similar to your monthly period.

You should stop taking Ovranette if you think you could be pregnant.

Ovranette can also have interactions with other medications. If you’re taking antibiotics, HIV or epilepsy medication, or St. John’s Wort, it’s important get advice from your GP about taking Ovranette.

Missing the Pill may increase your risk of pregnancy. If you miss a dose of Ovranette, you should take the pill as soon as you remember, no matter how long it’s been, even if it means taking two pills within one day.

Acne can be caused by a number of different factors, and one of the most common factors is hormone levels – particularly hormones called ‘androgens’. Combined contraceptive pills like Ovranette can sometimes improve acne as they can affect androgen levels in your body.

If this does happen for you, it can often take several months to see an improvement in you acne after starting to use Ovranette. But, you can sometimes see an effect within the first two months. Ovranette may not always clear up your acne completely.

On the other hand, up to 1 in 10 women may experience acne as a side effect of taking Ovranette. If you think you’ve got acne as a side effect of taking Ovranette, you could talk to your doctor to see if there’s another contraceptive pill that’s better for you.

Ovranette can be taken while you’re also taking acne treatments, like antibiotics or other acne treatments that apply directly to your skin. This won’t affect your risk of pregnancy.

There’s a no evidence to suggest a link between using Ovranette and experiencing depression. But you might get some mood changes or anxiety as mild side effects when you start Ovranette. This is common when you start using any pill.

If you have depression, you can still take Ovranette without it affecting your condition. Ovranette will still give you the same level of protection from unwanted pregnancy if you have depression.

There’s a no evidence to suggest a link between Ovranette and putting on weight.

But some women can see a small, short-term gain in weight on the pill. This is usually because the increase in hormone levels caused by the pill makes your body hold onto more water. 

If you do gain weight while taking Ovranette, it should only be temporary and this side effect should go away after 2-3 months. While you’re taking Ovranette, you should try to manage your weight like you normally would:

• Exercise regularly
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet
• Stay hydrated to stop yourself from bloating

The possible side effects of Ovranette can vary from person to person. Side effects usually disappear after the first 2 or -3 months of taking it.

Ovranette is a low-dose contraceptive pill, so the side effects can be less intense than those from a form of the pill that contains more oestrogen.

Common side effects of Ovranette experienced by more than 1 in 10 women include:

• Headaches or migraines
• Breakthrough bleeding, or spotting

Common side effects experienced by up to 1 in 10 women include:

• Infections of the vagina, including thrush
• Feeling sick (nausea) or throwing up
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Changes in weight
• Changes in mood, including depression or a low mood
• Dizziness
• Nervousness
• Change in sex drive
• Acne
• Sore, painful, or tender breasts
• Changes in the secretion from the breast
• Enlargement of the breast

Uncommon side effects experienced by up to 1 in 1000 women include:

• Upset stomach or diarrhoea
• Skin rash
• Changes in appetite
• Irregular bleeding
• Brown patches on the skin (chloasma)
• Hives (urticaria)
• High blood pressure

Seek urgent medical help if you experience:

• Signs of an allergic reaction, including breathing problems, swelling of lips, face, throat, or tongue
• Signs of a blood clot, including sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, or a painful swelling in your leg
• Signs of a stroke or heart attack, including 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