Microgestin

Generic name: norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol
Dosage form: tablets
Drug classes:Contraceptives, Sex hormone combinations

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 22, 2021.

Patients should be counseled that this product does not protect against HIVinfection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Microgestin Description

Microgestin and Microgestin Fe are progestogen-estrogen combinations.

Microgestin Fe 1/20 and 1.5/30: Each provides a continuous dosage regimen consisting of 21 oral contraceptive tablets and seven ferrous fumarate tablets. The ferrous fumarate tablets are present to facilitate ease of drug administration via a 28-day regimen, are non-hormonal, and do not serve any therapeutic purpose.

Each white tablet contains norethindrone acetate (17 alpha-ethinyl-19-nortestosterone acetate), 1 mg; ethinyl estradiol (17 alpha-ethinyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3, 17 beta-diol), 20 mcg. Also contains acacia, NF; lactose, NF; magnesium stearate, NF; starch, NF; confectioner’s sugar, NF; talc, USP.

Each green tablet contains norethindrone acetate (17 alpha-ethinyl-19-nortestosterone acetate), 1.5 mg; ethinyl estradiol (17 alpha-ethinyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3, 17 beta-diol), 30 mcg. Also contains acacia, NF; lactose, NF; magnesium stearate, NF; starch, NF; confectioner’s sugar, NF; talc, USP; D&C yellow No. 10; FD&C yellow No. 6; FD&C blue No. 1.

The structural formulas are as follows:

Each brown tablet contains ferrous fumarate, USP; mannitol, USP; povidone, USP; microcrystalline cellulose, NF; sodium starch glycolate, NF; magnesium stearate, NF; sucralose, NF; spearmint flavor.

Microgestin - Clinical Pharmacology

Combination oral contraceptives act by suppression of gonadotropins. Although the primary mechanism of this action is inhibition of ovulation, other alterations include changes in the cervical mucus (which increase the difficulty of sperm entry into the uterus) and the endometrium (which reduce the...