Estrostep 21 (Norethindrone Acetate and Ethinyl Estradiol) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

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May 26, 2012

Estrostep

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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...

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Estrostep 21 User Reviews >>

Estrostep 21

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ESTROSTEP® 21
(norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol) Tablets, USP

(Each white triangular tablet contains 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol; each white square tablet contains 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 30 mcg ethinyl estradiol; each white round tablet contains 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 35 mcg ethinyl estradiol.)

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

DRUG DESCRIPTION

ESTROSTEP is a graduated estrophasic providing estrogen in a graduated sequence over a 21-day period with a constant dose of progestogen.

ESTROSTEP 21 provides for a 21-day dosage regimen of oral contraceptive tablets.

Each white triangle-shaped tablet contains 1 mg norethindrone acetate [(17 alpha)- 17-(acetyloxy)-19-norpregna-4-en-20-yn-3-one] and 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol [(17 alpha)- 19-norpregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yne-3,17-diol]; each white square-shaped tablet contains 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 30 mcg ethinyl estradiol; and each white round tablet contains 1 mg norethindrone acetate, 35 mcg ethinyl estradiol. Each tablet also contains calcium stearate; lactose; microcrystalline cellulose; and starch.

The structural formulas are as follows:

ESTROSTEP (Norethindrone Acetate and Ethinyl Estradiol) structural formula illustration

Each ESTROSTEP 21 tablet dispenser contains five white triangular tablets, seven white square tablets, and nine white round tablets. These tablets are to be taken in the following order: one triangular tablet each day for five days, followed by one square tablet each day for seven days, and then one round tablet each day for nine days.