Understanding contraceptive pill brands

How brand names work

If you’re taking a contraceptive pill, you might be prescribed what looks like a new pill with a different brand name. However, just because the brand name is different, it doesn’t mean the contraceptive pills inside are different. Pills under different brand names, can contain the same hormones and the same dose of hormones. They have simply been produced by a different manufacturer and given a different brand name.

If you are given a contraceptive pill which is different from what you are used to using, you can check the Pill Brands Chart below to check it contains the same hormones you have previously been taking.

Understanding hormones

Combined oral contraceptive (COC) pills contain oestrogen and progestogen while progestogen only pills (POP) as suggested in the name only contain progestogen.

The most common type of oestrogen is called ethinylestradiol. The majority of COC pills contain this type of oestrogen in varying doses from 20 micrograms up to 35 micrograms. Meanwhile, there are 7 common types of progesterone called desogestrel, gestodene, norethisterone, norethisterone acetate, drospirenone, norgestimat and levonorgestrel. These come in varying doses depending on the type of pill you are taking.

We don’t expect you to remember these complicated hormone names but it helps to know what hormones are in the pills you are taking so if the brand of your pill changes, you can still be reassured you are taking the same hormone.

Microgynon 30 is the most commonly prescribed COC pill brand and it contains 30 micrograms of ethinylestradiol and 150 micrograms of levonorgestrel. However Levest, Ovranette and Rigevidon also contain the same hormones and the same doses. This means that if you are taking Microgynon30 and you are changed to the pill Levest, you are still taking the same hormones but just using a different brand.

While we know it can be confusing the best place to help you remember is your pill box. If you look at the front of your pill box you can see the drug and the dose on the front of the box.

Pill comparison table

Here’s a list to help you check and compare what’s in the different brands of the most common pills in the UK.