Norimin

What is Norimin?

Norimin is a type of contraception known as the combined pill. Combined pills (often referred to simply as ‘the pill’) are the most commonly used form of contraceptive pills, and are so-called because they use two types of hormones to prevent you from becoming pregnant.

Norimin contains norethisterone, a synthetic form of progesterone, and ethinylestradiol, a type of oestrogen.

The usual way of taking the combined pill is to take it daily for 21 days, followed by a seven day break. The blister packs contain 21 pills, so you’ll know when you’ve taken your last pill and need to start your week off.

How does Norimin work?

Combined pills like Norimin contain synthetic versions of two naturally made hormones — oestrogen and progesterone — which play a vital part in ovulation. By mimicking your body’s hormones and then changing your body’s response to them, combined pills work in several ways to prevent pregnancy.

Most importantly, the pill stops eggs from being released. With no egg for sperm to fertilise, the chances of becoming pregnant are reduced to almost zero. When taken correctly, in fact, combined pills are thought to be over 99% effective.^[1]

Norimin also thickens the mucus in your cervix, which prevents sperm from moving the way it normally would. Another function of combined pills is to change the lining of the uterine wall, making it thinner. This usually means your periods become lighter when you take it.

How effective is Norimin?

Combined pills are considered highly effective when it comes to preventing pregnancy. When taken in the right way, Norimin is over 99% successful at stopping you from becoming pregnant.

Missing doses can impact how well the pill works, so you should always take Normin as it’s been prescribed.

How to take Norimin

Your clinician can advise you about how to take Norimin if you’re unsure. The usual way is to take your first pill on the first day of bleeding when your period begins.

The blister pack is marked with a tablet for each day of the week, so take the tablet with the correct day on. The tablets will begin to work immediately, providing you take one every day.

When you take the tablet is up to you, but whatever time you decide to take it needs to be the time you swallow each pill. It might help you to set a reminder, such as an alarm, each day.

Take the tablets daily for 21 days, and then have a break for the following seven. It’s important you don’t miss the first pill of a new blister pack, so you should make a note of when you’re due to start the next course of tablets.

Are there different doses of Norimin?

Norimin comes in packs of 21 tablets. You need to take one pill each day, and finish each blister pack before you have a seven day break. You’ll remain protected from pregnancy during that week, even though you’re not taking any tablets.

There’s never any need to double your dose by taking more than one tablet — a single Norimin pill a day should be enough to keep you protected.

What happens if I miss a Norimin pill?

Like most medications, Norimin has a better chance of working if you stick to your dosage routine. This is especially important when it comes to using combined pills, as not doing so can impact the contraceptive protection the pills provide.

If you miss a tablet for any reason, you can take it as soon as possible if it’s within 12 hours of your usual dosage time. That means you might need to take two tablets during one day.

If it’s been longer than 12 hours, you should still take your Norimin pill as soon as possible and carry on with your usual dosage routine, but you should also use a condom during sex for the next seven days.

If you miss one or more of the last seven tablets of a blister pack, you should start the next blister pack as soon as the one you’re using is empty. This means you won’t take the usual seven day pill-free break. Doing this gives you the best chance of avoiding pregnancy.