What is Brevinor?
Brevinor is a tablet you take to prevent pregnancy. It’s a combined contraceptive, so it has two different active ingredients that stop you from getting pregnant. They are artificial forms of the hormones progesterone and oestrogen.
You’ll usually take a Brevinor pill everyday for 21 days, then have a break. This is when you’ll have your period (properly called ‘withdrawal bleeding’). Brevinor is a safe and effective contraceptive treatment. It can also make your periods less painful or heavy because of the hormones in it.
How does Brevinor work?
Brevinor contains two active ingredients, norethisterone and ethinylestradiol. Norethisterone is a lab-made version of progesterone, a hormone that occurs naturally in the human body. Ethinylestradiol is a lab-made version of oestrogen, the other main female sex hormone.
The norethisterone in Brevinor prevents pregnancy in a few different ways. As it’s a progestin, it mimics the effects of progesterone, which reaches naturally high levels during your non-fertile window and after conception. So progestins stop an egg from being released, keep your womb lining too thick for an egg to implant and thicken your cervical fluid to stop sperm reaching your uterus. When you have high levels of a progestin, it also stops you from having your period.
The ethinylestradiol in Brevinor helps stop you from getting pregnant too. It works with the norethisterone to stop you from ovulating and it prevents as many follicles from growing in your uterus. It does this by lowering your levels of two different hormones, called FSH and LH. Together, these ingredients keep you well protected against pregnancy.
What doses of Brevinor are there?
Brevinor only comes in one dose. It contains 0.5mg of norethisterone and 35mcg of ethinylestradiol, which is a pretty low amount of oestrogen. So it may be less likely to cause side effects for you than other combined pills with a higher amount of oestrogen. Brevinor comes in blister packs of 21 tablets. You’ll take one pill of Brevinor everyday until you finish your blister pack. Then you’ll usually have a seven day break so you can have your period.