Levest Tablets

Levest is a reliable combined oral contraceptive pill used to prevent pregnancy. It contains two hormones, ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and levonorgestrel 150 micrograms, which work together to prevent ovulation and reduce the likelihood of pregnancy when taken as directed.

As a levonorgestrel-based contraceptive, Levest belongs to a well-established group of combined pills widely prescribed in the UK. It is the generic equivalent of Microgynon 30 and follows a simple 21-day treatment cycle with a seven-day break between packs.

Levest is licensed in the UK for contraception and may be suitable for women seeking an effective, daily oral contraceptive. This page provides information on how Levest works, how to take it, possible side effects, and how to request treatment through Pharmacy Planet.

Levest is a film-coated combined oral contraceptive tablet. Every tablet in the 21-tablet pack contains:

1. Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms: a synthetic oestrogen
2. Levonorgestrel 150 micrograms: a synthetic second-generation progestogen

Levonorgestrel has been used in combined oral contraceptives for several decades. Its risk and tolerability profile is well characterised by clinical evidence and established prescribing practise. From a VTE risk perspective, levonorgestrel-based pills sit in a lower risk category than desogestrel, gestodene, or drospirenone-containing pills, according to MHRA guidance.

All of the following pills contain ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and levonorgestrel 150 micrograms and are considered clinically equivalent: Levest, Microgynon 30, Rigevidon, and Ovranette. They differ only in manufacturers and, in some cases, excipient composition. Women are routinely dispensed one version in place of another when supply dictates, without any change in contraceptive outcome.

Primary Action: Ovulation Suppression

Ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel act on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to suppress the hormonal signals that trigger ovulation. Follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone production are both inhibited. Without the luteinising hormone surge, the ovary does not release an egg.

Supporting Mechanisms

1. Levonorgestrel thickens the cervical mucus, creating a physical barrier to sperm penetration.
2. The combined hormonal action reduces the receptiveness of the endometrial lining, making implantation unlikely in the event that fertilisation were to occur.

The 21-Day Cycle and Withdrawal Bleed

21 days of tablet-taking maintain continuous hormonal suppression. The subsequent seven-day break allows oestrogen and progestogen levels to fall, which triggers a withdrawal bleed. This bleed is not a sign of a true menstrual period. It is a pharmacological consequence of the hormone drop and is typically lighter, shorter, and more predictable than a natural period. Starting a new pack late after the seven-day break risks ovulation occurring and must be avoided.

Starting Guidance

1. Day 1 start: Begin on day one of your period for immediate contraceptive protection.
2. Days 2 to 5 start: Begin within the first five days of your cycle. Use condoms or another barrier method for the first seven days.
3. Switch from a combined pill: Start Levest the day after your last active tablet from the previous pack. No break is needed, and protection continues.
4. Switching from a progestogen-only pill: Start on any day. Use barrier contraception for the first seven days.

Daily Use

Take one Levest tablet at the same time every day for 21 consecutive days. After the 21st tablet, take a seven-day break. Begin the next pack on day 29. The break must be exactly seven days, not more.

1. Take tablets whole with water.
2. Consistent timing each day maintains steady hormone levels.
3. If you vomit within two hours of a tablet, or have severe diarrhoea, treat it as a missed pill.

Missed Pill Rules

1. Under 24 hours late: take it immediately and continue the pack as normal. Protection is maintained.
2. Over 24 hours late (one missed pill): take it immediately, take the next at the usual time even if that means two in one day, and use additional contraception for seven days.
3. Two or more consecutive missed pills: take the most recent missed pill now, discard any earlier missed ones, continue the pack, and use barrier contraception for seven days. If pills were missed in week one and unprotected sex occurred in the previous seven days, seek advice about emergency contraception.

For vomiting, diarrhoea, or any scenario not covered above, follow the Patient Information Leaflet guidance or contact your prescriber or pharmacist.

Composition

1. Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms + levonorgestrel 150 micrograms per tablet
2. Monophasic: every tablet is identical
3. 21 active tablets per pack; no inactive placebo tablets

Regimen

One tablet daily for 21 days, followed by a seven-day break, repeated continuously. The dose does not change throughout the course. Your prescriber confirms the appropriate starting day based on your circumstances.

Generic Landscape

Levest is one of four clinically equivalent preparations available in the UK, all containing ethinylestradiol 30 mcg and levonorgestrel 150 mcg:

1. Levest – Morningside Healthcare Ltd
2. Microgynon 30 – Bayer plc (branded originator)
3. Rigevidon – Consilient Health Ltd
4. Ovranette – Pfizer Ltd

Supply availability, cost, and prescriber or pharmacy preference to determine which version is dispensed. Switching between them can cause no clinical consequences.

The side effects below are based on the current UK SmPC for Levest. Read the Patient Information Leaflet in full before starting treatment.

Common Side Effects

• Headache or migraine
• Nausea, particularly in the first few weeks
• Breast tenderness or discomfort
• Mood changes, including low mood
• Reduced libido
• Irregular spotting or altered bleeding pattern, especially in the first one to three cycles
• Changes in vaginal discharge

Less Common Side Effects

• Weight changes
• Contact lens intolerance
• Chloasma: patches of darker skin, typically on the face, more likely with sun exposure

Serious Side Effects: Seek Urgent Help If You Notice

• Sudden chest pain, breathlessness, or coughing blood: possible pulmonary embolism or heart attack.
• Leg pain, warmth, or swelling in one limb: possible deep vein thrombosis.
• Sudden severe headache, speech difficulty, facial or limb weakness, or visual disturbance: possible stroke.
• Acute severe abdominal pain: possible liver events or ectopic pregnancy.
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes: possible jaundice.

VTE Risk in Context

Levonorgestrel-based pills, including Levest sit in the lowest VTE risk category among combined oral contraceptives, as confirmed by MHRA guidance. The risk is higher than in women using no hormonal contraception, but lower than with desogestrel, gestodene, or drospirenone-containing combined pills. Individual factors such as BMI, smoking, personal blood clot history, and family history of VTE all modify this risk and are assessed by the prescriber before any prescription is issued.

Drug Interactions to Declare

Tell your prescriber about all the medicines you take. The following reduce Levest's effectiveness:

• Rifampicin and rifabutin (antibiotics for tuberculosis)
• Antiepileptic medicines: phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, topiramate
• HIV antiretrovirals: ritonavir, efavirenz, and others
• St John's Wort (over the counter herbal product)

If any of these are prescribed alongside Levest, your prescriber may recommend additional contraception or an alternative method for the duration of co-administration.

Levest Is Not Suitable If You:

• Have or have ever had a venous or arterial blood clot (DVT, PE, stroke, or heart attack)
• Experience migraine with aura
• Have uncontrolled or consistently elevated blood pressure
• Have active liver disease or liver tumours
• Have or have had breast cancer or an oestrogen-sensitive cancer
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding a baby under six weeks old
• Smoke and are aged 35 or older
• Have diabetes with established vascular complications

Levest May Be Appropriate If You:

• Are a healthy adult woman with no contraindications to oestrogen-containing contraception
• Are starting combined hormonal contraception for the first time, as levonorgestrel-based pills are often the clinically preferred starting point due to their lower VTE risk profile
• Have previously used Microgynon 30, Rigevidon, or Ovranette and are being switched to the generic equivalent
• Prefer a straightforward 21-day active tablet, seven-day break schedule with no inactive placebo tablets to manage

Use Levest With Caution If You:

• Smoke and are under 35. Smoking increases cardiovascular risk at any age when combined with oestrogen-containing contraception.
• Have a BMI above 30. Raised BMI independently increases VTE risk.
• Have a first-degree family member who had a blood clot before the age of 50.
• Have experienced depression or are currently being treated for a mood disorder.
• Are about to take a long-haul flight or face prolonged immobility. Both independently raise VTE risk.

Pharmacy Planet operates as a GPhC registered online pharmacy. Prescriptions are only issued following a genuine clinical assessment. Here is how the process works for Levest:

1. You complete an online medical questionnaire. This is not a tick-box formality. It asks about your health, medicines, family history, and lifestyle in enough detail for a prescriber to make a clinical judgement. Fill it accurately.
2. A registered prescriber reads your answers and decides independently whether Levest is appropriate for you. They consider your VTE risk, contraindications, previous contraceptive history, and any red flags.
3. The consultation outcome is a clinical decision, not a guaranteed supply. If the prescriber concludes that Levest is unsuitable, or that a face-to-face review is needed first, they will tell you why and indicate what the next step should be.
4. Repeat prescriptions follow the same process. There is no automatic repeat. Each review confirms that your health profile still supports continued prescribing.

• Keep below 25°C in a dry location away from direct heat or sunlight.
• Leave tablets in the original blister packaging until the moment of use.
• Store out of reach and sight of children at all times.
• Check the expiry date on the pack before using. Discard expired packs.
• Do not dispose of tablets in the bin or down the sink. Hand unused medication back to any pharmacy for safe waste disposal under the Duty of Care regulations.

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.

There is no shortage of online pharmacies offering contraception. What separates a legitimate, GPhC registered service from an unregulated one is the clinical process behind every prescription. At Pharmacy Planet, no prescription is issued without a prescriber reading your questionnaire and making an individual clinical decision. That process exists for your safety, not as an administrative hurdle.

Our prescribers are not incentivised to approve prescriptions. If Levest is not appropriate for you, you will be told that and directed towards a more suitable option or an in-person review. We consider this part of good pharmacy practise, not an inconvenience.

• Morningside Healthcare Ltd. Levest 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 levonorgestrel. 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.