The injectable contraceptive can cause substantial bone-density loss that increases with duration and may not fully recover. Use for more than two years is not recommended unless other contraceptive options are inadequate.
Warnings
Thromboembolic disorders; Breast cancer risk; Meningioma
Interactions
Enzyme inducers incl. CYP3A4 (e.g., rifampin)
Brand questions use only name pairings verified against the linked product source. Unverified pairings are withheld from these questions; the other study content remains available.
Label date: 20260904 · For learning, not clinical decisions. US label and brand information; always consult the current source.
Source snapshot checked: 2026-10-21. The source document and selected fields were compared. The complete card has not had an independent clinical review.
Mechanism: Primarily suppresses ovulation; possible additional mechanisms include cervical-mucus changes that inhibit sperm penetration and endometrial changes that reduce implantation likelihood.
On both cards: Used for — Prevention of pregnancy · Warnings — Thromboembolic disorders
Only on the Norgestimate / Ethinyl Estradiol card: Common side effects — Headache / migraine; Abdominal pain; Breast tenderness; Nausea; Irregular uterine bleeding · Warnings — Liver disease / jaundice; Hypertension · Interactions — CYP3A4 inducers (reduced efficacy)
Mechanism: Suppresses ovulation in about half of users, thickens cervical mucus, blunts LH/FSH peaks and alters the endometrium.
On both cards: Used for — Prevention of pregnancy · Common side effects — Headache
Only on the Norethindrone card: Common side effects — Menstrual irregularity; Breast tenderness; Nausea; Dizziness · Warnings — Known or suspected pregnancy (contraindicated); Breast carcinoma (contraindicated); Liver tumors or acute liver disease · Interactions — CYP3A4 inducers (reduced efficacy)
Mechanism: Prevents pregnancy primarily by suppressing ovulation.
On both cards: Used for — Prevention of pregnancy · Common side effects — Headache
Only on the Levonorgestrel / Ethinyl Estradiol card: Common side effects — Menorrhagia; Nausea; Dysmenorrhea; Breast tenderness · Warnings — Thrombotic and thromboembolic events; Liver disease; Hypertension · Interactions — Enzyme inducers (reduced efficacy)
An item counts as shared only when both cards use the same wording. If a card does not list an item, that is not a statement that the effect never occurs.
Capsera