Norgestrel Brand Name– Ovrette
What is Norgestrel
Norgestrel is a synthetic progestin. It is a combination of both active and inactive enantiomers, of which, levonorgestrel is the active component.
Norgestrel is used as an oral contraceptive either as a single agent or in combination with an estrogen.
Norgestrel and norethindrone are available as progestin-only formulations or ‘mini-pills’ and are not widely used because of increased incidence of certain side effects such as irregular, unpredictable spotting and breakthrough bleeding.
Progestin-only contraceptives also have a higher risk of failure compared to estrogen-progestin combinations because of variable suppression of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in low-dose progestin-only regimens.
Of the two, norgestrel is generally considered to have more androgenic activity.
Norgestrel was approved by the FDA in 1973.
NOTE: This drug is discontinued in the US. Wyeth discontinued the marketing of Ovrette in June 2005.
Indications
- contraception
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- acne vulgaris
- anorexia
- anxiety
- appetite stimulation
- biliary obstruction
- breakthrough bleeding
- cervicitis
- depression
- dizziness
- edema
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- emotional lability
- fatigue
- fluid retention
- galactorrhea
- headache
- hepatitis
- hepatoma
- hirsutism
- hyperglycemia
- hypertension
- leukorrhea
- libido decrease
- libido increase
- mastalgia
- menstrual irregularity
- nausea
- retinal thrombosis
- thromboembolism
- vaginitis
- vomiting
- weight gain
- weight loss
Monitoring Parameters
- pap smear
- pelvic exam
Contraindications
- breast cancer
- breast-feeding
- cardiac disease
- cerebrovascular disease
- cervical cancer
- children
- depression
- diabetes mellitus
- ectopic pregnancy
- hepatic disease
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- hyperlipidemia
- incomplete abortion
- migraine
- myocardial infarction
- pregnancy
- renal disease
- seizure disorder
- stroke
- tartrazine dye hypersensitivity
- thromboembolic disease
- thrombophlebitis
- tobacco smoking
- uterine cancer
- vaginal bleeding
- vaginal cancer
Interactions
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Acetohexamide
- Acitretin
- Alogliptin
- Alogliptin; Metformin
- Alogliptin; Pioglitazone
- Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors
- Amikacin
- Aminoglycosides
- Amobarbital
- Amoxicillin
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Lansoprazole
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Omeprazole
- Amoxicillin; Clavulanic Acid
- Ampicillin
- Ampicillin; Sulbactam
- Amprenavir
- Apalutamide
- Aprepitant, Fosaprepitant
- Armodafinil
- Artemether; Lumefantrine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Atazanavir
- Atazanavir; Cobicistat
- Atropine; Hyoscyamine; Phenobarbital; Scopolamine
- Azithromycin
- Aztreonam
- Bacitracin
- Barbiturates
- Belladonna Alkaloids; Ergotamine; Phenobarbital
- Bexarotene
- Bismuth Subcitrate Potassium; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
- Bismuth Subsalicylate; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
- Boceprevir
- Bosentan
- Bromocriptine
- Butabarbital
- Calaspargase pegol
- Canagliflozin; Metformin
- Carbamazepine
- Carbapenems
- Carbenicillin
- Cefaclor
- Cefadroxil
- Cefazolin
- Cefdinir
- Cefditoren
- Cefepime
- Cefiderocol
- Cefixime
- Cefotaxime
- Cefotetan
- Cefoxitin
- Cefpodoxime
- Cefprozil
- Ceftaroline
- Ceftazidime
- Ceftazidime; Avibactam
- Ceftibuten
- Ceftizoxime
- Ceftolozane; Tazobactam
- Ceftriaxone
- Cefuroxime
- Cenobamate
- Cephalexin
- Charcoal
- Chenodiol
- Chloramphenicol
- Chlorpropamide
- Ciprofloxacin
- Clarithromycin
- Clindamycin
- Clobazam
- Cobicistat
- Colistimethate, Colistin, Polymyxin E
- Dabrafenib
- Dalbavancin
- Dapagliflozin
- Dapagliflozin; Metformin
- Dapagliflozin; Saxagliptin
- Daptomycin
- Darunavir
- Darunavir; Cobicistat
- Darunavir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Deferasirox
- Delafloxacin
- Demeclocycline
- Dicloxacillin
- Doripenem
- Doxycycline
- Efavirenz
- Efavirenz; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir
- Efavirenz; Lamivudine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Elagolix
- Elagolix; Estradiol; Norethindrone acetate
- Elvitegravir
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Empagliflozin
- Empagliflozin; Linagliptin
- Empagliflozin; Linagliptin; Metformin
- Empagliflozin; Metformin
- Enasidenib
- Encorafenib
- Enzalutamide
- Eravacycline
- Ertapenem
- Ertugliflozin; Metformin
- Ertugliflozin; Sitagliptin
- Erythromycin
- Erythromycin; Sulfisoxazole
- Eslicarbazepine
- Felbamate
- Fidaxomicin
- Flibanserin
- Fosamprenavir
- Gemifloxacin
- Gentamicin
- Glimepiride
- Glimepiride; Pioglitazone
- Glimepiride; Rosiglitazone
- Glipizide
- Glipizide; Metformin
- Glyburide
- Glyburide; Metformin
- Glycylcyclines
- Griseofulvin
- Hydantoins
- Idelalisib
- Imipenem; Cilastatin
- Imipenem; Cilastatin; Relebactam
- Incretin Mimetics
- Indinavir
- Insulins
- Isotretinoin
- Ivosidenib
- Kanamycin
- Lamotrigine
- Lefamulin
- Leflunomide
- Lesinurad
- Lesinurad; Allopurinol
- Levofloxacin
- Linagliptin
- Linagliptin; Metformin
- Lincomycin
- Lincosamides
- Linezolid
- Lomitapide
- Lorlatinib
- Lumacaftor; Ivacaftor
- Meglitinides
- Mephobarbital
- Meropenem
- Meropenem; Vaborbactam
- Metformin
- Metformin; Pioglitazone
- Metformin; Repaglinide
- Metformin; Rosiglitazone
- Metformin; Saxagliptin
- Metformin; Sitagliptin
- Methohexital
- Metronidazole
- Mifepristone
- Miltefosine
- Minocycline
- Mivacurium
- Modafinil
- Morphine
- Morphine; Naltrexone
- Moxifloxacin
- Nafcillin
- Nelfinavir
- Neomycin
- Nevirapine
- Nitrofurantoin
- Norfloxacin
- Ofloxacin
- Omadacycline
- Omeprazole; Amoxicillin; Rifabutin
- Oritavancin
- Oxacillin
- Oxcarbazepine
- Paromomycin
- Pegaspargase
- Penicillin G
- Penicillin G Benzathine
- Penicillin G Benzathine; Penicillin G Procaine
- Penicillin G Procaine
- Penicillin V
- Pentobarbital
- Perampanel
- Pexidartinib
- Phenobarbital
- Phentermine; Topiramate
- Piperacillin
- Piperacillin; Tazobactam
- Pitolisant
- Plazomicin
- Polymyxin B
- Polymyxins
- Pramlintide
- Prasterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA (Dietary Supplements)
- Prasterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA (FDA-approved)
- Primidone
- Pyrimethamine; Sulfadoxine
- Riluzole
- Roflumilast
- Rosuvastatin
- Rufinamide
- Sarilumab
- Saxagliptin
- Secobarbital
- Siltuximab
- Simvastatin; Sitagliptin
- Sitagliptin
- St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum
- Streptogramins
- Streptomycin
- Succinylcholine
- Sugammadex
- Sulfadiazine
- Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim, SMX-TMP, Cotrimoxazole
- Sulfasalazine
- Sulfisoxazole
- Sulfonamides
- Sulfonylureas
- Tazemetostat
- Tedizolid
- Telavancin
- Telithromycin
- Teriflunomide
- Tetracycline
- Thalidomide
- Thiopental
- Ticarcillin
- Ticarcillin; Clavulanic Acid
- Tigecycline
- Tinidazole
- Tipranavir
- Tizanidine
- Tobramycin
- Tocilizumab
- Tolazamide
- Tolbutamide
- Topiramate
- Trimethoprim
- Ulipristal
- Vancomycin