Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone acetate (EE/NETA), or ethinylestradiol/norethindrone acetate, is a

combination In mathematics, a combination is a selection of items from a set that has distinct members, such that the order of selection does not matter (unlike permutations). For example, given three fruits, say an apple, an orange and a pear, there are ...

ethinylestradiol Ethinylestradiol (EE) is an estrogen medication which is used widely in birth control pills in combination with progestins. Ethinylestradiol was widely used for various indications such as the treatment of menopausal symptoms, gynecological ...

(EE) and

norethisterone acetate Norethisterone acetate (NETA), also known as norethindrone acetate and sold under the brand name Primolut-Nor among others, is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills, menopausal hormone therapy, and for the treatment of gynec ...

(NETA) which is used as

birth control Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

and

menopausal hormone therapy Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also known as menopausal hormone therapy or postmenopausal hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy used to treat symptoms associated with female menopause. Effects of menopause can include symptoms such ...

. EE is an

estrogen Estrogen (also spelled oestrogen in British English; see spelling differences) is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three ...

, while

(NETA) is a

progestin A progestogen, also referred to as a progestagen, gestagen, or gestogen, is a type of medication which produces effects similar to those of the natural female sex hormone progesterone in the body. A progestin is a '' synthetic'' progestogen. ...

. It is taken

by mouth Oral administration is a route of administration whereby a substance is taken through the Human mouth, mouth, swallowed, and then processed via the digestive system. This is a common route of administration for many medications. Oral administ ...

. Some preparations of EE/NETA used in birth control additionally contain an

iron supplement Iron supplements, also known as iron salts and iron pills, are a number of iron formulations used to treat and prevent iron deficiency including iron-deficiency anemia. For prevention they are only recommended in those with poor absorption, ...

in the form of

ferrous fumarate Iron(II) fumarate, also known as ferrous fumarate, is the iron(II) salt of fumaric acid, occurring as a reddish-orange powder, used to supplement iron intake. It has the chemical formula . Pure ferrous fumarate has an iron content of 32.87%, the ...

. Norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol have been approved in the US for the prevention of pregnancy as a swallowable tablet since 1968. In 2022, the combination of ethinylestradiol with norethisterone or with norethisterone acetate was the 80th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 8million prescriptions. It is available as a

generic medication A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...

Medical uses

Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone acetate is

indicated In medicine, an indication is a valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedure, or surgery. There can be multiple indications to use a procedure or medication. An indication can commonly be confused with the term diagnosis. A diagnosis ...

for use by females of reproductive potential to prevent pregnancy. Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone acetate is also indicated in women with an intact uterus for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with the

menopause Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time when Menstruation, menstrual periods permanently stop, marking the end of the Human reproduction, reproductive stage for the female human. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 5 ...

; and for prevention of

postmenopausal osteoporosis Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time when menstrual periods permanently stop, marking the end of the reproductive stage for the female human. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, although the exact timing can ...

Society and culture

Legal status

In July 2024, the US

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA) approved Femlyv, the first orally disintegrating tablet for the prevention of pregnancy. Norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol have been approved in the US for the prevention of pregnancy as a swallowable tablet since 1968.

Brand names

Brand names include Anovlar, Blisovi, Cumorit, Estrostep, Femhrt, Femlyv, Fyavolv, Gildess, Junel, Larin, Leribane, Loestrin, Lo Loestrin (Lo Lo), Mibelas, Microgestin, Minastrin, Norlestrin,

Primodos Primodos was a hormone-based pregnancy test, produced by Schering AG, and used in the 1960s and 1970s that consisted of two pills that contained norethisterone (as acetate) and ethinylestradiol.Department of Health, ''Hansard'', HL Deb, 26 Octob ...

, Taytulla, and Tri-Legest, among others.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ethinylestradiol Norethisterone Acetate Combined oral contraceptives Drugs developed by AbbVie

Medical uses

Society and culture

Legal status

Brand names

See also

References