Femodette Tablets

When a Lower Oestrogen Dose Makes Clinical Sense

Not every woman responds the same way to hormonal contraception. Some tolerate a standard dose combined pill without difficulty. Others find that nausea, headache, or breast tenderness disrupts the first few months on the pill, or persists for longer than expected. For women in the second group, moving to a lower oestrogen dose may be worth exploring with a prescriber. Femodette is a combined oral contraceptive pill containing ethinylestradiol 20 micrograms and gestodene 75 micrograms. It is licensed in the United Kingdom for the prevention of pregnancy and carries a lower oestrogen dose than standard combined pills such as Femodene. This page explains what Femodette is, how it works, and how to access it through a clinical consultation at Pharmacy Planet.

Femodette uses a standard 21-day active tablet, seven-day break schedule. It contains the same progestogen as Femodene (gestodene 75 micrograms) but at half the oestrogen dose. This makes it a useful option to consider for women who have experienced oestrogen-related side effects on a 30 or 35 microgram pill, though tolerability varies between individuals and the prescriber's assessment remains essential.

Femodette is a combined oral contraceptive tablet manufactured by Bayer plc. Each tablet contains ethinylestradiol 20 micrograms and gestodene 75 micrograms. Ethinylestradiol is a synthetic oestrogen. Gestodene is a synthetic progestogen belonging to the third-generation class. Femodette is a monophasic pill, meaning every tablet in the pack contains exactly the same dose of both hormones throughout the 21-day course.

The 20 microgram oestrogen dose in Femodette is lower than the 30 microgram dose in standard Femodene and the 35 microgram dose in pills such as Brevinor. For some women, a lower oestrogen dose reduces the likelihood or severity of oestrogen-related side effects such as nausea, breast tenderness, and mood changes. However, individual responses vary and a lower dose does not suit every patient.

Femodette is a Prescription Only Medicine. It cannot be purchased without a valid prescription from a registered clinician. A clinical consultation is required before any prescription is issued. The consultation allows the prescriber to assess your health history, confirm suitability, and weigh the contraceptive benefits of a gestodene-containing pill against your individual risk factors.

Suppressing Ovulation

The primary contraceptive mechanism of Femodette is the suppression of ovulation. Ethinylestradiol and gestodene act together on the pituitary gland to inhibit the release of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone. Without the luteinising hormone surge that normally triggers egg release, ovulation does not occur. This mechanism is shared by all combined oral contraceptives.

Secondary Contraceptive Effects

Femodette also provides secondary contraceptive protection through two additional mechanisms:

1. Gestodene thickens the cervical mucus, creating a barrier that is more resistant to sperm penetration.
2. The hormonal combination alters the endometrial lining, reducing its receptiveness to implantation in the event that fertilisation were to occur.

The 21-Day Cycle

Femodette follows a standard 21-day active, seven-day break schedule. Taking one tablet daily for 21 days maintains consistent hormonal suppression throughout the active phase. The seven-day break allows hormone levels to fall, triggering a withdrawal bleed. This bleed is not a true menstrual period. It is a predictable consequence of the hormone-free interval. Withdrawal bleeds on combined pills are often lighter and shorter than natural periods.

Lower Oestrogen and Tolerability

At 20 micrograms, the oestrogen dose in Femodette is at the lower end of the range used in combined oral contraceptives. Some women find that this dose is associated with fewer oestrogen-related side effects compared with higher-dose pills. This is not guaranteed and varies between individuals. Your prescriber will take your previous pill history and current health into account when assessing whether Femodette is the appropriate choice for you.

Starting Your First Pack

Your prescriber will advise on the most appropriate starting day. Standard guidance is:

1. Day 1 start: Begin on the first day of your period. You are protected from pregnancy immediately.
2. Day 2 to 5 start: Begin within the first five days of your cycle. Use additional contraception such as condoms for the first seven days.
3. Switching from another combined pill: Take the first Femodette tablet the day after your last active tablet from the previous pack. You remain protected immediately.
4. Switching from a progestogen-only pill: Start Femodette on any day. Use additional contraception for the first seven days.

The 21-Day Regimen

Take one tablet every day at the same time for 21 consecutive days. After your 21st tablet, stop for exactly seven days. A withdrawal bleed will usually occur during this week. Start your next 21-tablet pack on day 29, the day after the seven-day break ends, regardless of whether any bleeding has stopped. The break must not exceed seven days.

1. Swallow each tablet whole with water.
2. Take tablets at the same time each day to maintain consistent hormone levels.
3. The seven-day break must not be extended. Starting a new pack late increases the risk of ovulation occurring.
4. If vomiting occurs within two hours of taking a tablet, or if you have severe diarrhoea, treat this as a missed pill.

Missed Pills

1. Fewer than 24 hours late: take the missed tablet as soon as you remember and continue as normal. You remain protected.
2. More than 24 hours late: take the missed tablet immediately and take the next one at your usual time, even if this means two in one day. Use additional contraception for seven days.
3. Two or more consecutive missed tablets: take the most recently missed tablet immediately and leave the others. Continue the pack and use additional contraception for seven days. If this falls in the first week of your pack and you had unprotected sex in the preceding seven days, contact your prescriber or pharmacist about emergency contraception.

Refer to the Patient Information Leaflet for complete missed pill guidance covering all specific scenarios and cycle positions.

Tablet Composition

• Each tablet: ethinylestradiol 20 micrograms and gestodene 75 micrograms
• Monophasic formulation: every tablet contains the same dose
• 21 active tablets per pack

Dosage Regimen

One tablet daily at the same time for 21 consecutive days, followed by a seven-day tablet-free interval. The dose is fixed throughout the course. There is no titration, dose escalation, or variation between tablets. Your prescriber will confirm the most appropriate starting day for your individual circumstances.

Femodette and Femodene: Understanding the Difference

Femodette and Femodene both contain gestodene 75 micrograms. The difference is the oestrogen dose: Femodette contains ethinylestradiol 20 micrograms, while Femodene contains 30 micrograms. Both use a 21-day active tablet, seven-day break schedule. The contraceptive mechanism is the same. Women are sometimes moved from Femodene to Femodette, or vice versa, depending on their tolerability and side effect profile. Your prescriber will advise on which is most appropriate.

Like all medicines, Femodette can cause side effects. Not every woman will experience them. The following is a summary based on the current UK SmPC. Read the full Patient Information Leaflet before starting treatment.

Common Side Effects

• Headache or migraine
• Nausea
• Breast tenderness or discomfort
• Mood changes, including low mood or irritability
• Changes in libido
• Breakthrough spotting or changes to the bleeding pattern, particularly in the first few cycles
• Changes in vaginal discharge

Less Common Side Effects

• Weight changes
• Contact lens intolerance due to changes in corneal curvature
• Skin changes including chloasma (patches of darker skin, particularly on the face)

Serious Side Effects: Seek Urgent Medical Attention If You Experience

• Sudden chest pain, breathlessness, or coughing up blood. These may indicate a pulmonary embolism or heart attack.
• Pain, swelling, or warmth in one leg. This may indicate deep vein thrombosis.
• Sudden severe headache, visual disturbance, weakness in the face, arm, or leg, or difficulty speaking. These may indicate a stroke.
• Severe abdominal pain, which may indicate a liver problem or ectopic pregnancy.
• Jaundice: yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes.

Blood Clot Risk and Gestodene

All combined oral contraceptives carry a small increased risk of venous thromboembolism compared with women not using hormonal contraception. Gestodene-containing pills including Femodette carry a somewhat higher VTE risk than levonorgestrel-containing pills, and a broadly similar risk to pills containing desogestrel or drospirenone. The lower oestrogen dose in Femodette does not eliminate this risk. Your prescriber will assess your individual VTE risk factors before prescribing.

Important Drug Interactions

Enzyme-inducing medicines can reduce the effectiveness of Femodette by increasing the rate at which the active hormones are metabolised. These include:

• Rifampicin and rifabutin
• Certain antiepileptic medicines including phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and topiramate
• Some HIV medicines including ritonavir and efavirenz
• St John's Wort, a herbal supplement available without prescription

Always disclose your full medication list, including herbal remedies and supplements, at every consultation. If you are prescribed an enzyme-inducing medicine whilst taking Femodette, additional contraceptive precautions or an alternative method may be required.

Femodette Is Not Suitable If You:

• Have or have ever had a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or arterial thrombosis)
• Have or have ever had a stroke or heart attack
• Have migraine with aura
• Have uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Have liver disease or liver tumours
• Have or have ever had breast cancer or another oestrogen-sensitive cancer
• Are pregnant or think you may be pregnant
• Are breastfeeding a baby under six weeks old
• Are a smoker aged 35 or over
• Have diabetes with vascular complications

This Medicine May Be Appropriate If You:

• Are a healthy adult woman seeking reliable daily hormonal contraception
• Have previously experienced oestrogen-related side effects such as nausea, headache, or breast tenderness on a 30 or 35 microgram combined pill
• Have no personal or family history of blood clots, stroke, or cardiovascular disease
• Do not have migraine with aura and are not a heavy smoker
• Are not currently taking medicines that interact significantly with combined oral contraceptives

Use With Caution If You:

• Are a smoker under the age of 35. Smoking at any age increases cardiovascular risk with oestrogen-containing contraceptives.
• Have a BMI above 30. Obesity is an independent risk factor for VTE.
• Have a family history of blood clots in a first degree relative under the age of 50.
• Have a history of depression or are currently experiencing low mood. Hormonal contraceptives can affect mood in some women.
• Are planning long-haul travel or extended periods of immobility. These independently increase VTE risk.
• Have previously had high blood pressure in pregnancy or other oestrogen-sensitive conditions.

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered UK online pharmacy. All prescriptions for Femodette are issued following a genuine clinical consultation conducted by a registered prescriber. The process is as follows:

1. Complete a structured medical questionnaire. This covers your health history, current medicines, smoking status, BMI, family history of blood clots and cardiovascular disease, any previous pill history including side effects, and relevant gynaecological history. Accurate answers are essential.
2. A registered prescriber reviews your consultation individually. They assess whether Femodette is clinically appropriate for your circumstances. This includes considering the gestodene-related VTE risk profile alongside your individual risk factors and any previous experience with oestrogen-containing pills.
3. A prescription is issued only if the prescriber determines that Femodette is appropriate for you. Completing a consultation does not guarantee a prescription. The prescriber may conclude that a different contraceptive is more suitable, or that a face-to-face assessment is required. If so, they will explain their decision clearly.
4. If a prescription is issued, your medication is dispensed and dispatched by our pharmacy team. Our team is available for any follow-up questions during or after treatment.
5. Repeat supply requires a new consultation to confirm that continued prescribing remains appropriate for your current health.

• Store below 25°C.
• Keep tablets in the original blister packaging to protect from moisture.
• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
• Do not use tablets after the expiry date printed on the pack.
• Return unused tablets to your pharmacist for safe disposal. Do not dispose of medicines via wastewater or household waste.

This reference guide compares the contraceptive preparations available at Pharmacy Planet, grouped by delivery method and formulation type. Every preparation is a Prescription Only Medicine. A registered prescriber will review your individual health profile, contraceptive history, and risk factors before recommending any preparation. This table is a clinical reference, not a recommendation.

Combined Oral Contraceptive Tablets (Monophasic)

Monophasic combined pills contain the same dose of both hormones in every active tablet. The table below compares commonly prescribed monophasic combined oral contraceptives by progestogen type, oestrogen dose, VTE risk category, pack format, and key clinical characteristics.

Important: This comparison is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. A prescriber will decide which treatment is suitable for you following an online consultation.

Pharmacy Planet is a registered UK online pharmacy regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council. We provide a clinically responsible and confidential route to prescription contraception, including low-dose combined pills such as Femodette. Our process is built around genuine individual clinical assessment at every stage.

Our prescribers review every consultation individually and make decisions based on your specific health profile. If Femodette is not appropriate for you, they will say so clearly. Where possible, our team will support you in identifying an alternative. We are a healthcare resource, and that includes being honest when a particular medicine is not the right fit.

You can verify our GPhC registration at any time via www.pharmacyregulation.org. The EU common logo on our website confirms our status as a verified, legitimate UK online pharmacy. Our pharmacy team is available for questions before, during, and after your consultation.

• Bayer plc. Femodette film-coated tablets – Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk/emc. Accessed May 2026.
• Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH). Combined Hormonal Contraception – Clinical Guidance. Available at: www.fsrh.org. Accessed May 2026.
• NHS. Combined pill – your contraception guide. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/combined-contraceptive-pill. Accessed May 2026.
• British National Formulary (BNF). Ethinylestradiol with gestodene. Available at: bnf.nice.org.uk. Accessed May 2026.
• MHRA. Combined hormonal contraceptives and venous thromboembolism – updated guidance. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency. Accessed May 2026.