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home > drugs a-z list > alesse (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) drug center > alesse (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) drug
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Alesse
Information on Birth Control Pills »
What are birth control pills and how do they work?
Birth control pills are also known as oral contraceptives (OCs) or, simply, “the pill.” They offer protection against pregnancy by blocking the union of sperm and egg, thereby preventing conception.
Oral contraceptives or birth control pills contain synthetic female hormones. They work largely by preventing the release of an egg from an ovary, or ovulation. If no egg is released, there can be no pregnancy.
Stopping ovulation is not the only way birth control pills can work. The progestin or synthetic progesterone in birth control pills also changes the physical and chemical environment of the female reproductive tract, making it hostile for sperm.
What are the different types of birth control pills?
The active ingredients in birth control pills are synthetic versions of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Combination oral contraceptives are birth control...
Alesse
ALESSE® 28 Tablets
(levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) Tablets
Patients should be counseled that oral contraceptives do not protect against transmission of HIV (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis.
DRUG DESCRIPTION
21 pink active tablets each containing 0.10 mg of levonorgestrel, d(-)-13β-ethyl-17α-ethinyl- 17β-hydroxygon-4-en-3-one, a totally synthetic progestogen, and 0.02 mg of ethinyl estradiol, 17α-ethinyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3, 17β-diol. The inactive ingredients present are cellulose, hypromellose, iron oxide, lactose, magnesium stearate, polacrilin potassium, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, and montanic ester wax.
7 light-green inert tablets, each containing cellulose, FD&C blue no. 1, hypromellose, iron oxide, lactose, magnesium stearate, polacrilin potassium, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, and montanic ester wax.
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What are the possible side effects of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;
- sudden headache, confusion, pain behind the eyes, problems with vision, speech, or balance;
- chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder,...
Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Alesse »
What are the precautions when taking levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol (Alesse)?
See also Warning section.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to ethinyl estradiol or levonorgestrel; or to other estrogens or progestins; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this product, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: history of stroke or other blood clots (e.g., in the legs, eyes, lungs), severe high blood pressure, abnormal breast exam, cancer (especially endometrial and breast cancer), diabetes that has caused kidney/eye/nerve/blood vessel disease, severe headaches, history of...
Last reviewed on RxList: 4/3/2009
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
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Additional Alesse Information
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