Description
This contraceptive contains two types of female sex hormones, oestrogen and progestogen. These hormones stop you getting pregnant by working in three ways:
- by preventing an egg being released from your ovaries;
- by making the fluid (mucus) in your cervix thicker, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the womb; and
- by preventing the lining of your womb thickening enough for an egg to grow in it.
Femodene is a 21-day Pill – you take one each day for 21 days, followed by 7 days when you take no pills.
The benefits of taking the Pill include:
▪ it is one of the most reliable reversible methods of contraception if used correctly
▪ it doesn’t interrupt sex
▪ it usually makes your periods regular, lighter and less painful
▪ it may help with pre-menstrual symptoms.
Uses / Instructions
Take Femodene every day for 21 days
Then have seven pill-free days
Then Repeat as above.
Read the patient information leaflet for more details.
Warnings
You will need regular check-ups with your doctor or family planning nurse, usually when you need another prescription of the Pill.
▪ You should go for regular cervical smear tests.
▪ Check your breasts and nipples every month for changes – tell your doctor if
you can see or feel anything odd, such as lumps or dimpling of the skin.
▪ If you need a blood test tell your doctor that you are taking the Pill, because the Pill can affect the results of some tests.
▪ If you’re going to have an operation, make sure your doctor knows about it. You may need to stop taking the Pill at least 4 weeks before the operation. This is to reduce the risk of a blood clot . Your doctor will tell you when you can start taking the Pill again.
Side Effects
Common side effects (between 100 and 1000 in every 10,000 users may be affected)
▪ feeling sick
▪ stomach ache
▪ putting on weight
▪ headaches
▪ depressive moods or mood swings
▪ sore or painful breasts
For a full list of side effects see the patient information leaflet.
Ingredients
Each box of Femodene contains three strips of 21 white tablets containing 75
micrograms of the progestogen gestodene, and 30 micrograms of the oestrogen
ethinylestradiol.
Femodene also contains the inactive ingredients:
Lactose, maize starch, povidone, magnesium stearate (E572), sodium calcium
edetate, sucrose, macrogol 6000, calcium carbonate (E170), talc, montan glycol
wax.
