Active ingredient
- ethinylestradiol
- levonorgestrel
Legal Category
POM: Prescription only medicine
POM: Prescription only medicine
The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is the leaflet included in the pack with a medicine. It is written for patients and gives information about taking or using a medicine. It is possible that the leaflet in your medicine pack may differ from this version because it may have been updated since your medicine was packaged.
Below is a text only representation of the Patient Information Leaflet. The original can be viewed in PDF format using the link above.
The text only version may be available from RNIB in large print, Braille or audio CD. For further information call RNIB Medicine Leaflet Line on 0800 198 5000. The product code(s) for this leaflet is: PL00010/0545.
Microgynon 30
Due to regulatory changes, the content of the following Patient Information Leaflet may vary from the one found in your medicine pack. Please compare the 'Leaflet prepared/revised date' towards the end of the leaflet to establish if there have been any changes.
If you have any doubts or queries about your medication, please contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Package leaflet: Information for the user
Microgynon® 30
Levonorgestrel
Ethinylestradiol
Important things to know about combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs):
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine.
In this leaflet:
1 What Microgynon 30 does
2 What you need to know before you use Microgynon 30
3 Taking Microgynon 30
3.3 A missed pill
4 Possible side effects
5 How to store Microgynon 30
6 What is in Microgynon 30 and who makes it
1. What Microgynon 30 does
Microgynon 30 is a combined oral contraceptive pill (‘the Pill’). You take it to stop you getting pregnant.
This contraceptive contains two types of female sex hormones, oestrogen and progestogen.
These hormones stop you getting pregnant by working in three ways: by preventing an egg being released from your ovaries; by making the fluid (mucus) in your cervix thicker, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the womb; and by preventing the lining of your womb thickening enough for an egg to grow in it.
Microgynon 30 is a 21-day Pill – you take one each day for 21 days, followed by 7 days when you take no pills.
The benefits of taking the Pill include:
Microgynon 30 will not protect you against sexually transmitted infections, such as Chlamydia or HIV. Only condoms can help to do this.
Microgynon 30 needs to be taken as directed to prevent pregnancy.
2. What you need to know before you use Microgynon 30
General notes
Before you start using Microgynon 30 you should read the information on blood clots in section 2. It is particularly important to read the symptoms of a blood clot – see Section 2.3 ‘Blood clots’.
It’s important that you understand the benefits and risks of taking the Pill before you start taking it, or when deciding whether to carry on taking it. Although the Pill is suitable for most healthy women it isn’t suitable for everyone.
Before you start taking the Pill
While you’re on the Pill
2.1 When you should not use Microgynon 30
You should not use Microgynon 30 if you have any of the conditions listed below. If you do have any of the conditions listed below, you must tell your doctor. Your doctor will discuss with you what other form of birth control would be more appropriate.
Do not use Microgynon 30:
Do not use Microgynon 30 if you have hepatitis C and are taking the medicinal products containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir (see also in section “Taking other medicines”).
2.2 When to take special care with Microgynon 30
When should you contact your doctor?
Seek urgent medical attention
For a description of the symptoms of these serious side effects please go to “How to recognise a blood clot”.
Some of the conditions listed below can be made worse by taking the Pill. Or they may mean it is less suitable for you. You may still be able to take Microgynon 30 but you need to take special care and have check-ups more often.
Tell your doctor if any of the following conditions apply to you.
If the condition develops, or gets worse while you are using Microgynon 30, you should also tell your doctor.
2.3 Blood clots
Using a combined hormonal contraceptive such as Microgynon 30 increases your risk of developing a blood clot compared with not using one. In rare cases a blood clot can block vessels and cause serious problems.
Blood clots can develop:
Recovery from blood clots is not always complete. Rarely, there may be serious lasting effects or, very rarely, they may be fatal.
It is important to remember that the overall risk of having a harmful blood clot due to Microgynon 30 is small.
HOW TO RECOGNISE A BLOOD CLOT
Seek urgent medical attention if you notice any of the following signs or symptoms.
Are you experiencing any of these signs?
What are you possibly suffering from?
Deep vein thrombosis
Are you experiencing any of these signs?
If you are unsure, talk to a doctor as some of these symptoms such as coughing or being short of breath may be mistaken for a milder condition such as a respiratory tract infection (e.g. a ‘common cold’).
What are you possibly suffering from?
Pulmonary embolism
Are you experiencing any of these signs?
Symptoms most commonly occur in one eye:
What are you possibly suffering from?
Retinal vein thrombosis (blood clot in the eye)
Are you experiencing any of these signs?
What are you possibly suffering from?
Heart attack
Are you experiencing any of these signs?
Sometimes the symptoms of stroke can be brief with an almost immediate and full recovery, but you should still seek urgent medical attention as you may be at risk of another stroke.
What are you possibly suffering from?
Stroke
Are you experiencing any of these signs?
What are you possibly suffering from?
Blood clots blocking other blood vessels
BLOOD CLOTS IN A VEIN
What can happen if a blood clot forms in a vein?
When is the risk of developing a blood clot in a vein highest?
The risk of developing a blood clot in a vein is highest during the first year of taking a combined hormonal contraceptive for the first time. The risk may also be higher if you restart taking a combined hormonal contraceptive (the same product or a different product) after a break of 4 weeks or more.
After the first year, the risk gets smaller but is always slightly higher than if you were not using a combined hormonal contraceptive.
When you stop Microgynon 30 your risk of a blood clot returns to normal within a few weeks.
What is the risk of developing a blood clot?
The risk depends on your natural risk of VTE and the type of combined hormonal contraceptive you are taking.
The overall risk of a blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT or PE) with Microgynon 30 is small.
Women who are not using a combined hormonal pill and are not pregnant
Risk of developing a blood clot in a year - About 2 out of 10,000 women
Women using a combined hormonal contraceptive pill containing levonorgestrel
Risk of developing a blood clot in a year - About 5-7 out of 10,000 women
Women using Microgynon 30
Risk of developing a blood clot in a year - About 5-7 out of 10,000 women
Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot in a vein
The risk of a blood clot with Microgynon 30 is small but some conditions will increase the risk.
Your risk is higher:
The risk of developing a blood clot increases the more conditions you have.
Air travel (>4 hours) may temporarily increase your risk of a blood clot, particularly if you have some of the other factors listed.
It is important to tell your doctor if any of these conditions apply to you, even if you are unsure. Your doctor may decide that Microgynon 30 needs to be stopped.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using Microgynon 30, for example a close family member experiences a thrombosis for no known reason, or you gain a lot of weight, tell your doctor.
BLOOD CLOTS IN AN ARTERY
What can happen if a blood clot forms in an artery?
Like a blood clot in a vein, a clot in an artery can cause serious problems. For example, it can cause a heart attack or a stroke.
Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot in an artery
It is important to note that the risk of a heart attack or stroke from using Microgynon 30 is very small but can increase:
If you have more than one of these conditions or if any of them are particularly severe the risk of developing a blood clot may be increased even more.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using Microgynon 30, for example you start smoking, a close family member experiences a thrombosis for no known reason, or you gain a lot of weight, tell your doctor.
2.4 The Pill and cancer
While high dose Pills reduce your risk of cancer of the ovary and womb if used in the long term, it is not clear whether lower dose Pills like Microgynon 30 also provide the same protective effects.
However, it also seems that taking the Pill slightly increases your risk of cancer of the cervix – although this may be due to having sex without a condom, rather than the Pill. All women should have regular smear tests.
If you have breast cancer, or have had it in the past, you should not take the Pill. The Pill slightly increases your risk of breast cancer. This risk goes up the longer you’re on the Pill, but returns to normal within about 10 years of stopping it. Because breast cancer is rare in women under the age of 40, the extra cases of breast cancer in current and recent Pill users is small. For example:
Your risk of breast cancer is higher:
Taking the Pill has also been linked to liver diseases, such as jaundice and non-cancer liver tumours, but this is rare. Very rarely, the Pill has also been linked with some forms of liver cancer in women who have taken it for a long time.
2.5 Psychiatric disorders
Some women using hormonal contraceptives including Microgynon 30 have reported depression or depressed mood. Depression can be serious and may sometimes lead to suicidal thoughts. If you experience mood changes and depressive symptoms contact your doctor for further medical advice as soon as possible.
2.6 Taking other medicines
If you ever need to take another medicine at the same time as being on the Pill, always tell your doctor, pharmacist or dentist that you’re taking Microgynon 30. Also check the leaflets that come with all your medicines to see if they can be taken with hormonal contraceptives.
Some medicines can have an influence on the blood levels of Microgynon 30 and can stop it from working properly – for example:
If you do need to take one of these medicines, Microgynon 30 may not be suitable for you or you may need to use extra contraception for a while. Your doctor, pharmacist or dentist can tell you if this is necessary and for how long.
Microgynon 30 can also affect how well other medicines work. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose of your other medicine.
In addition, Microgynon 30 can also interfere with the results of some blood tests, so always tell your doctor that you are taking Microgynon 30 if you have a blood test.
Do not use Microgynon 30 if you have hepatitis C and are taking the medicinal products containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir as this may cause increases in liver function blood test results (increase in ALT liver enzyme). Your doctor will prescribe another type of contraceptive prior to start of the treatment with these medicinal products. Microgynon 30 can be restarted approximately 2 weeks after completion of this treatment. See section “Do not use Microgynon 30”.
2.7 Taking Microgynon 30 with food and drink
There are no special instructions about food and drink while on Microgynon 30.
2.8 Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Do not use Microgynon 30 if you are pregnant. If you think you might be pregnant, do a pregnancy test to confirm that you are before you stop taking Microgynon 30.
If you are breast-feeding, your doctor or family planning nurse may advise you not to take Microgynon 30. They will be able to suggest alternative contraception. Breast-feeding may not stop you getting pregnant.
2.9 Driving and using machines
Microgynon 30 has no known effect on the ability to drive or use machines.
2.10 Microgynon 30 contains lactose and sucrose
If you have been told by your doctor that you have intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before using Microgynon 30.
3. Taking Microgynon 30
3.1 How to take it
To prevent pregnancy, always take Microgynon 30 as described below. Check with your doctor or family planning nurse if you are not sure.
Take Microgynon 30 every day for 21 days
Microgynon 30 comes in strips of 21 pills, each marked with a day of the week.
Then have seven pill-free days
After you have taken all 21 pills in the strip, you have seven days when you take no pills. So if you take the last pill of one pack on a Friday, you will take the first pill of your next pack on the Saturday of the following week.
Within a few days of taking the last pill from the strip, you should have a withdrawal bleed like a period. This bleed may not have finished when it is time to start your next strip of pills.
You don’t need to use extra contraception during these seven pill-free days – as long as you have taken your pills correctly and start the next strip of pills on time.
Then start your next strip
Start taking your next strip of Microgynon 30 after the seven pill-free days – even if you are still bleeding. Always start the new strip on time.
As long as you take Microgynon 30 correctly, you will always start each new strip on the same day of the week.
3.2 Starting Microgynon 30
As a new user or starting the Pill again after a break
It is best to take your first Microgynon 30 pill on the first day of your next period. By starting in this way, you will have contraceptive protection with your first pill.
Changing to Microgynon 30 from another contraceptive Pill
Starting Microgynon 30 after a miscarriage or abortion
If you have had a miscarriage or an abortion during the first three months of pregnancy, your doctor may tell you to start taking Microgynon 30 straight away. This means that you will have contraceptive protection with your first pill.
If you have had a miscarriage or an abortion after the third month of pregnancy, ask your doctor for advice. You may need to use extra contraception, such as condoms, for a short time.
Contraception after having a baby
If you have just had a baby, your doctor may advise you that Microgynon 30 should be started 21 days after delivery provided that you are fully mobile. You do not have to wait for a period. You will need to use another method of contraception, such as a condom, until you start Microgynon 30 and for the first 7 days of pill taking.
3.3 A missed pill
If you miss a pill, follow these instructions:
When were you due to take the missed pill?
If you have missed any of the pills in a strip, and you do not bleed in the first pill-free break, you may be pregnant. Contact your doctor or family planning clinic, or do a pregnancy test yourself.
If you start a new strip of pills late, or make your ‘week off’ longer than seven days, you may not be protected from pregnancy. If you had sex in the last seven days, ask your doctor, family planning nurse or pharmacist for advice. You may need to consider emergency contraception. You should also use extra contraception, such as a condom, for seven days.
3.4 A lost pill
If you lose a pill,
Either take the last pill of the strip in place of the lost pill. Then take all the other pills on their proper days. Your cycle will be one day shorter than normal, but your contraceptive protection won’t be affected. After your seven pill-free days you will have a new starting day, one day earlier than before.
Or if you do not want to change the starting day of your cycle, take a pill from a spare strip if you have one. Then take all the other pills from your current strip as usual. You can then keep the opened spare strip in case you lose any more pills.
3.5 If you are sick or have diarrhoea
If you are sick (vomit) or have very bad diarrhoea within 4 hours of taking the Pill, your body may not get its usual dose of hormones from that pill. If you are better within 12 hours of taking Microgynon 30, follow the instructions in section 3.4 A lost pill, which describes how to take another pill.
If you are still sick or have diarrhoea more than 12 hours after taking Microgynon 30, see section 3.3, A missed pill.
3.6 Missed a period – could you be pregnant?
Occasionally, you may miss a withdrawal bleed. This could mean that you are pregnant, but that is very unlikely if you have taken your pills correctly. Start your next strip at the normal time. If you think that you might have put yourself at risk of pregnancy (for example, by missing pills or taking other medicines), or if you miss a second bleed, you should do a pregnancy test. You can buy these from the chemist or get a free test at your family planning clinic or doctors surgery. If you are pregnant, stop taking Microgynon 30 and see your doctor.
3.7 Taking more than one pill should not cause harm
It is unlikely that taking more than one pill will do you any harm, but you may feel sick, vomit or have some vaginal bleeding. Even girls who have not yet started to menstruate but have accidentally taken this medicine may experience such bleeding. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
3.8 When you want to get pregnant
If you are planning a baby, it’s best to use another method of contraception after stopping Microgynon 30 until you have had a proper period. Your doctor or midwife relies on the date of your last natural period to tell you when your baby is due. However, it will not cause you or the baby any harm if you get pregnant straight away.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Microgynon 30 can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. . If you get any side effect, particularly if severe and persistent, or have any change to your health that you think may be due to Microgynon 30, please talk to your doctor.
An increased risk of blood clots in the veins (venous thromboembolism (VTE)) or blood clots in the arteries (arterial thromboembolism (ATE)) is present for all women using combined hormonal contraceptives. For more detailed information on the different risks from taking combined hormonal contraceptives please see section 2 “What you need to know before you use Microgynon 30”.
4.1 Serious side effects – see a doctor straight away
Rare side effects (between 1 and 10 in every 10,000 users may be affected)
The chance of having a blood clot may be higher if you have any other conditions that increase this risk (see section 2 for more information on the conditions that increase risk for blood clots and the symptoms of a blood clot).
Signs of a blood clot (see section 2.3 ‘Blood clots’)
Signs of a severe allergic reaction or worsening of hereditary angioedema:
Signs of breast cancer include:
Signs of cancer of the cervix include:
Signs of severe liver problems include:
4.2 Less serious side effects
Common side effects (between 100 and 1000 in every 10,000 users may be affected)
Uncommon side effects (between 10 and 100 in every 10,000 users may be affected)
Rare side effects (between 1 and 10 in every 10,000 users may be affected)
Other side effects reported
4.3 Bleeding between periods should not last long
A few women have a little unexpected bleeding or spotting while they are taking Microgynon 30, especially during the first few months. Normally, this bleeding is nothing to worry about and will stop after a day or two. Keep taking Microgynon 30 as usual. The problem should disappear after the first few strips.
You may also have unexpected bleeding if you are not taking your pills regularly, so try to take your pill at the same time every day. Also, unexpected bleeding can sometimes be caused by other medicines.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Microgynon 30
Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use Microgynon 30 after the expiry date shown on the strip.
Do not throw away any medicines down a drain or into a bin. Ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicines you do not want. This will help to protect the environment.
6. What is in Microgynon 30 and who makes it
What is in Microgynon 30
Each box of Microgynon 30 contains three strips of 21 beige tablets.
Each beige sugar-coated tablet contains: 150 micrograms of the progestogen levonorgestrel, and 30 micrograms of the oestrogen ethinylestradiol.
Microgynon 30 also contains the inactive ingredients:
Lactose, maize starch, povidone, magnesium stearate (E572), sucrose, macrogol 6000, calcium carbonate (E170), talc, montan glycol wax, titanium dioxide (E171), glycerin (E422), ferric oxide pigment yellow (E172).
The company that holds the product licence for Microgynon 30 is:
Microgynon 30 is made by:
or
or
This leaflet was last updated in December 2018.
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