Ethinylestradiol (EE) is an estrogen medication which is used widely in birth control pills in combination with progestins. In the past, EE was widely used for various indications such as the treatment of menopausal symptoms, gynecological disorders, and certain hormone-sensitive cancers. It is usually taken by mouth but is also used as a patch and vaginal ring.
Drospirenone is a progestin and antiandrogen medication which is used in birth control pills to prevent pregnancy and in menopausal hormone therapy, among other uses. It is available both alone under the brand name Slynd and in combination with an estrogen under the brand name Yasmin among others. The medication is an analog of the drug spironolactone. Drospirenone is taken by mouth.
Norethisterone acetate (NETA), also known as norethindrone acetate and sold under the brand name Primolut-Nor among others, is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills, menopausal hormone therapy, and for the treatment of gynecological disorders. The medication available in low-dose and high-dose formulations and is used alone or in combination with an estrogen. It is ingested orally.
Norelgestromin, or norelgestromine, sold under the brand names Evra and Ortho Evra among others, is a progestin medication which is used as a method of birth control for women. The medication is available in combination with an estrogen and is not available alone. It is used as a patch that is applied to the skin.
Norgestimate, sold under the brand name Ortho Tri-Cyclen among others, is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills for women and in menopausal hormone therapy. The medication is available in combination with an estrogen and is not available alone. It is taken by mouth.
Norgestrel, sold under the brand name Opill among others, is a progestin which is used in birth control pills. It is often combined with the estrogen ethinylestradiol, marketed as Ovral. It is also used in menopausal hormone therapy. It is taken by mouth.
Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone acetate (EE/NETA), or ethinylestradiol/norethindrone acetate, is a combination of ethinylestradiol (EE) and norethisterone acetate (NETA) which is used as birth control and menopausal hormone therapy. EE is an estrogen, while norethisterone acetate (NETA) is a progestin. It is taken by mouth. Some preparations of EE/NETA used in birth control additionally contain an iron supplement in the form of ferrous fumarate.
Etynodiol diacetate, or ethynodiol diacetate, sold under the brand name Ovulen among others, is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills. The medication is available only in combination with an estrogen. It is taken by mouth.
Gestodene, sold under the brand names Femodene and Minulet among others, is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills for women. It is also used in menopausal hormone therapy. The medication is available almost exclusively in combination with an estrogen. It is taken by mouth.
Birth control pills come in a variety of formulations. The main division is between combined oral contraceptive pills, containing both estrogens and synthetic progestogens (progestins), and progestogen only pills. Combined oral contraceptive pills also come in varying types, including varying doses of estrogen, and whether the dose of estrogen or progestogen changes from week to week.
Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone (EE/NET), or ethinylestradiol/norethindrone, is a combination birth control pill which contains ethinylestradiol (EE), an estrogen and norethisterone (NET), a progestin. It is used for birth control, symptoms of menstruation, endometriosis, and menopausal symptoms. Other uses include acne. It is taken by mouth. Some preparations of EE/NET additionally contain an iron supplement in the form of ferrous fumarate.
Drospirenone/ethinylestradiol/levomefolic acid (EE/DRSP/LMF), sold under the brand name Beyaz among others, is a combination of ethinylestradiol (EE), an estrogen, drospirenone (DRSP), a progestogen, antimineralocorticoid, and antiandrogen, and levomefolic acid (LMF), a form of vitamin B9, which is used as a birth control pill to prevent pregnancy in women. The formulation contains folate as the calcium salt of levomefolic acid to lower the risk of complications such as fetal neural tube defects should the medication fail as a form of birth control. EE/DRSP/LMF was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2010.
Ethinylestradiol/levonorgestrel (EE/LNG) is a combined birth control pill made up of ethinylestradiol, an estrogen and levonorgestrel a progestin. It is used for birth control, symptoms of menstruation, endometriosis, and as emergency contraception. It is taken by mouth. Some preparations of EE/LNG additionally contain an iron supplement in the form of ferrous bisglycinate or ferrous fumarate.
Combined birth control pills that contain natural estradiol or an estradiol ester include:
Estetrol (E4) is an estrogen medication and naturally occurring steroid hormone which is used in combination with a progestin in combined birth control pills and is under development for various other indications. These investigational uses include menopausal hormone therapy to treat symptoms such as vaginal atrophy, hot flashes, and bone loss and the treatment of breast cancer and prostate cancer. It is taken by mouth.
Ethinylestradiol/cyproterone acetate (EE/CPA), also known as co-cyprindiol and sold under the brand names Diane and Diane-35 among others, is a combination of ethinylestradiol (EE), an estrogen, and cyproterone acetate (CPA), a progestin and antiandrogen, which is used as a birth control pill to prevent pregnancy in women. It is also used to treat androgen-dependent conditions in women such as acne, seborrhea, excessive facial/body hair growth, scalp hair loss, and high androgen levels associated with ovaries with cysts. The medication is taken by mouth once daily for 21 days, followed by a 7-day free interval.
Ethinylestradiol/drospirenone/prasterone (EE/DRSP/DHEA), known under developmental code names like Androgen Restored Contraceptive (ARC), Female Balance Pill, Pill-Plus, and Triple Oral Contraceptive, is a combination of ethinylestradiol (EE), an estrogen, drospirenone (DRSP), a progestin, antimineralocorticoid, and antiandrogen, and prasterone, an androgen prohormone and neurosteroid, which is under development for use as a birth control pill to prevent pregnancy in women. Clinical studies of this formulation have been conducted and published. Estrogens and progestogens suppress testosterone levels in women, and the addition of 50 mg prasterone, an oral prohormone of testosterone, has been found to restore total testosterone levels to normal levels. However, free testosterone levels, although higher with the addition of prasterone, remain significantly lower than usual despite prasterone inclusion.
Estradiol/drospirenone (E2/DRSP), sold under the brand name Angeliq, is a combination of estradiol (E2), an estrogen, and drospirenone (DRSP), a progestin, antimineralocorticoid, and antiandrogen, which is used in menopausal hormone therapy, specifically the treatment of menopausal syndrome and osteoporosis, in postmenopausal women. It is taken by mouth and contains 0.5 to 1 mg E2 and 0.25 to 0.5 mg DRSP per tablet. The medication was approved in the United States in 2005. It is marketed widely throughout the world.
Ethinylestradiol/desogestrel (EE/DSG), sold under the brand name Marvelon among others, is a fixed-dose combination of ethinylestradiol (EE), an estrogen, and desogestrel (DSG), a progestin, which is used as a birth control pill to prevent pregnancy in women. It is taken by mouth.
