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Information on Birth Control Pills »
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.
The active ingredients in birth control pills are synthetic versions of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Combination oral contraceptives are birth control...
Cyclessa®
(desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol tablets)
Patients should be counseled that this product does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Cyclessa® (desogestrel ethinyl estradiol tablets) (desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol) Tablets are a triphasic oral contraceptive containing two active components, desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol. Each 28-day treatment cycle pack consists of three active dosing phases: 7 light yellow tablets containing 0.100 mg desogestrel (13-ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-17α -pregn-4-en-20-yn-17-ol) and 0.025 mg ethinyl estradiol (19-nor-17α -pregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yne-3, 17-diol); 7 orange tablets containing 0.125 mg desogestrel and 0.025 mg ethinyl estradiol, and 7 red tablets containing 0.150 mg desogestrel and 0.025 mg ethinyl estradiol. Inactive ingredients include vitamin E, pregelatinized starch, stearic acid, lactose monohydrate, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, talc, yellow ferric oxide (in light yellow and orange tablets), and red ferric oxide (in orange and red tablets). Cyclessa® (desogestrel ethinyl estradiol tablets) also contains 7 green tablets with the following inert ingredients: lactose monohydrate, corn starch, magnesium stearate, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, FD&C Blue No. 2 aluminum lake, yellow ferric oxide, and talc. The molecular weights for desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol are 310.48 and 296.40, respectively. The structural formulas are as follows:
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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:
Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Cyclessa »
See also Warning section.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to any estrogens (e.g., ethinyl estradiol, mestranol) or any progestins (e.g., norethindrone, desogestrel); 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 or breast cancer), diabetes that has caused kidney/eye/nerve/blood vessel disease,...
Last reviewed on RxList: 5/2/2007
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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