Estrogen / mcg / Progestin / mg / Estrogenic / Progestational / Androgenic / Spotting/ BTB(%)
21-Day Monophasic (7 placebo pills) [in order of least to most BTB]
Lo-Ovral / Low-Ogestrel / Cryselle / Elinest / EE / 30 / norgestrel / 0.3 / ++ / ++ / ++ / 9.6
Ovcon 35 / Bazova / Femcon Fe / Gildagia / Philith / Vyfemla / Zenchent (chewable) / Zenchent FE / Zeosa / EE / 35 / norethindrone / 0.4 / ++++ / + / + / 11.0
Desogen / Ortho-Cept / Apri / Reclipsen / Solia / Emoquette/ Enskyce / EE / 30 / desogestrel / 0.15 / ++ / ++++ / + / 13.1
Nordette / Levora / Levlen / Portia / Altavera / Kurvelo / Marlissa / EE / 30 / levonorgestrel / 0.15 / ++ / ++ / ++ / 14.0
Ortho-Cyclen / Sprintec / MonoNessa / Previfem / Estarylla/ Mono-Linyah / EE / 35 / norgestimate / 0.25 / +++ / + / + / 14.3
Yasmin / Ocella / Zarah / Syeda / Safyral LF / EE / 30 / drospirenone / 3.0 / ++ / ++++ / 0 / 14.5
Ortho-Novum/ Neocon / Norethin / Nortrel / Norinyl / Cyclafem / Dasetta / Pirmella1/35 / EE / 35 / norethindrone / 1.0 / +++ / +++ / ++ / 14.7
Mircette / Kariva / Azurette / Pimtrea* / EE / 20 / desogestrel / 0.15 / ++ / ++++ / + / 19.7
Modicon / Brevicon / Necon / Nortrel / Wera 0.5/35 / EE / 35 / norethindrone / 0.5 / ++++ / + / + / 24.6
Loestrin 1.5/30 (& w/ FE) / Microgestin 1.5/30 / Gildess FE 1/5/30 / Larin FE 1.5/30 / Junel 1.5/30 (& w/ FE) / EE / 30 / nor. acetate / 1.5 / ++ / ++++ / ++++ / 25.2
Alesse / Levlite / Avaine / Lessina / Lutera / Sronyx / Falmina/ Orsythia / / EE / 20 / levonorgestrel / 0.1 / + / + / ++ / 26.5
Loestrin 1/20 / Microgestin 1/20 / Gildess FE 1/20 / Larin FE 1/20 / Junel 1/20 (& with FE) / EE / 20 / nor. acetate / 1.0 / + / +++ / +++ / 29.7
Demulen 1/35 / Zovia 1/35 / Kelnor / EE / 35 / ethy. diacetate / 1.0 / + / ++++ / ++ / 37.4
21-Day Multiphasic (7 placebo pills)[in order of least to most BTB]
Cyclessa / Cesia / Velivet / Caziant / EE / 25 / desogestrel / 0.100(7)
0.125(7)
0.150(7) / ++ / +++ / + / 11.1
Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo / Tri-Lo-Linyah / Tri-Lo-Sprintec / EE / 25 / norgestimate / 0.18 (7)
0.215 (7)
0.25 (7) / ++ / + / + / 11.5
Natazia / Estradiol valerate (EV) + dienogest (DNG) (28 tablets):
2 tabs (3mg EV) -- 5 tabs (2mg EV & 2mg DNG) --
17 tabs (2mg EV & 3mg DNG) -- 2 tabs (1mg EV) -- 2 placebo / +++ / + / 0 / 14
Ortho Novum / Nortrel / Neocon / Alyacen/ Cylcafem / Dasetta / Pirmella 7/7/7 / EE / 35 / norethindrone / 0.5(7)
0.75(7)
1.0(7) / ++++ / ++ / ++ / 14.5
TriPhasil / Tri-Levlen / Trivora / Enpresse / Levonest / Myzilra / EE / 30(6)
40(5)
30(10) / levonorgestrel / 0.05(6)
0.075(5)
0.125(10) / ++ / + / ++ / 15.1
Ortho Tri-Cyclen / Tri-Sprintec / TriNessa / Tri-Previfem / Tri-Estarylla / Tri-Linyah / EE / 35 / norgestimate / 0.180(7)
0.215(7)
0.250(7) / +++ / + / + / 17.7
Tri-Norinyl / Aranelle / Leena / EE / 35 / norethindrone / 0.5(7)
1.0(9)
0.5(5) / ++++ / ++ / ++ / 25.5
Estrostep / Estrostep FE / Tilia FE / Tri-Legest FE / EE / 20 (5)
30 (7)
35 (9) / nor. acetate / 1.0 / + / +++ / +++ / 26.2
24-Day Monophasic (4 placebo pills)[in order of least to most BTB]
Yaz /Gianvi / Vestura / Loryna / Beyaz LF2 / EE / 20 / dropserinone / 3 / + / ++++ / 0 / 13.8
Generess FE / EE / 24 / norethindrone / 0.8 / ++ / ++ / ++ / 19
Loestrin 24 FE / Minastrin 24 FE / EE / 20 / norethindrone / 1 / + / ++++ / +++ / 23.2
Lo Loestrin FE** / EE / 10 / norethindrone / 1 / + / ++++ / +++ / 44.5
Extended Cycle [in order of least to most BTB]
Quartette***
(12 weeks active pills, 7 days placebo) / EE / 20 (42)
25 (21)
30 (21) / levonorgestrel / 0.15 / + / +++ / ++++ / 27
Seasonique / Amethia / Camrese / Jolessa***
(12 weeks active pills, 7 days placebo) / EE / 30 / levonorgestrel / 0.15 / ++ / +++ / +++ / 46
Seasonale / Quasense/ Amythest / Introvale
(12 weeks active pills, 7 days placebo) / EE / 30 / levonorgestrel / 0.15 / ++ / +++ / +++ / 58.5
Lo-Seasonique / Amethia Lo / Camrese Lo***
(12 weeks active pills, 7 days placebo) / EE / 20 / levonorgestrel / 0.1 / + / ++ / ++ / 62
Lybrel
(all active pills, no placebo) / EE / 20 / levonorgestrel / 0.09 / ++ / +++ / +++ / 72.9
Adapated from charts in Managing Contraceptive Pill Patients. 15th edition. Dickey RM, ed. 2014; Bold: brand; Numbers in parentheses indicates number of tablets (days) in each phase.
*Last 5 days of placebo week are 10 mcg EE; **First 2 days of placebo are 10mcg EE alone; ***All 7 days of placebo are 10mcg EE alone
EE: ethinyl estradiol; EV: estradiol valerate; Ethy. diacetate: ethynodiol diacetate; Nor. acetate: norethindrone acetate; BTB: breakthrough bleeding; FE: placebo iron; LF: contains levomefolate
+ = very low ++ = low +++ = moderate ++++ = high
1
1