Brevinor

How to take Brevinor

Most women choose to take one pill daily for 21 days, then have a four or seven-day break before starting the next pack. During this break you’re likely to have a withdrawal bleed. This is like a period but isn’t one.  

You can also take Brevinor as follows: 

• Tricycling: Take one pill daily for nine weeks without a break. After 9 weeks (three packs of pills) take a four or seven day break and then start the cycle again. 
• Continuous use: Take one pill daily without a break.  
• Flexible extended use: Take one pill daily for at least 21 days. If you get bleeding that’s unacceptable to you, take a four-day break. On the fifth day start taking the pill daily again and don’t have another break for at least 21 days. 

Side effects

Many women do not experience any side effects, however some will. These can include headaches, feeling sick, mood swings, and breast discomfort. Rarely, some women develop blood clots. This pill carries a slightly higher risk of blood clots than others. If you have any concerns, send us a message via your Patient Record.

For full information on side effects and correct use, see the patient information leaflet. If any side effects concern you, contact us via your Patient Record.

How effective is Brevinor?

When taken correctly, Brevinor is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. If it’s not always taken correctly roughly 9 out of 100 women will get pregnant.

If you are vomiting or have severe diarrhoea you may not be protected against pregnancy. If this happens, continue to take the pill as usual but use a condom whilst you're ill. If this continues for more than 24 hours you should follow the same steps as a missed pill. 

Please note – you should only start Brevinor if you’re sure you’re not pregnant.  

How long after taking Brevinor are you protected?

If you start using Brevinor on days 1-5 of your period, you should be protected from pregnancy immediately, provided you don’t have a short or irregular menstrual cycle. 

If you start Brevinor after day one and have short/irregular menstrual cycle you’ll need to use condoms for seven days if you have sex. Your clinician will be able to advise if you need to use extra contraception in the first seven days if you have sex.  

If you miss your pill

This depends on when and how many pills are missed. Missing one pill, at any time, does not compromise contraception. Missing two or more pills or starting a new pack late might affect your contraceptive cover.

Up to 48hrs since your last pill – take your next pill as soon as you remember and continue the rest of the pack as usual. This might mean you need to take two pills on one day.

More than 48hrs – this depends on when you last took your pill and where you are in your pill packet. Please check the patient information leaflet for further information.

How it works

The hormones in Brevinor (ethinylestradiol and norethisterone) prevent your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation). They also make it difficult for sperm to reach an egg, or for an egg to implant itself in the lining of the womb.

Can I buy contraception online?

You can request contraception online. If suitable, we will prescribe a treatment, such as Brevinor if it's suitable for you. As this pill is a prescription-only medication, even if you are using an online service, you will need a prescription from a clinician before you can buy the treatment. 

With all combined contraceptive pills, we will need to know your height, weight and blood pressure to prescribe safely. You can fill this out during the consultation. 

Important information about Brevinor

If you’ve already bought your pill from us, you can request a further 3, 6 or 12-month supply from your Patient Record, if you're medically suitable. If you want to change your pill, please send us a message in your Patient Record. 

Combined contraceptives can cause your blood pressure to rise, which can be dangerous. Your blood pressure needs checking before starting any combined contraceptive, then once a year after that. If you’ve had your blood pressure checked recently, or checked it yourself using a home blood pressure monitor, you can give us this information as part of your consultation. 

Safety: taking other medicines

You should be able to take Brevinor alongside other medicines. However, it is important that you let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you are taking so that we can prescribe Brevinor safely.

Alternative treatments

We offer a range of contraceptives, including NuvaRing, Evra Patch, combined pills, low-dose pills and mini pills. View all our contraception options.

Condoms are an effective form of contraception and protect against STIs.

There are also long-acting contraceptives available through your GP or family planning clinic, including implants, the coil and injectable contraception.