Norgestrel

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

  1. abdominal pain
  2. acne vulgaris
  3. anorexia
  4. anxiety
  5. appetite stimulation
  6. biliary obstruction
  7. breakthrough bleeding
  8. cervicitis
  9. depression
  10. dizziness
  11. edema
  12. elevated hepatic enzymes
  13. emotional lability
  14. fatigue
  15. fluid retention
  16. galactorrhea
  17. headache
  18. hepatitis
  19. hepatoma
  20. hirsutism
  21. hyperglycemia
  22. hypertension
  23. leukorrhea
  24. libido decrease
  25. libido increase
  26. mastalgia
  27. menstrual irregularity
  28. nausea
  29. retinal thrombosis
  30. thromboembolism
  31. vaginitis
  32. vomiting
  33. weight gain
  34. 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
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