Microgynon 30

Microgynon 30 contains two hormones – ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and levonorgestrel 150 micrograms – delivered in a single daily tablet. It is a combined oral contraceptive pill licensed in the United Kingdom for the prevention of pregnancy, manufactured by Bayer plc. Levonorgestrel belongs to the second-generation progestogen class; MHRA guidance places levonorgestrel-containing pills in the lowest venous thromboembolism risk category among combined pills, below preparations containing desogestrel, gestodene, or drospirenone. The pill is taken on a 21-day active, seven-day break cycle and is identical in active content to its generic equivalents Levest, Rigevidon, and Ovranette. A prescription from a registered clinician is required before Microgynon 30 can be dispensed.

Microgynon 30 is a monophasic film-coated combined oral contraceptive. Monophasic means the hormone dose stays constant across every tablet in the pack. Each tablet contains:

1. Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms: a synthetic oestrogen that works alongside the progestogen to suppress ovulation
2. Levonorgestrel 150 micrograms: a synthetic progestogen with a well-established prescribing and safety record in the UK

The pack contains 21 tablets. You take one tablet daily for three weeks, then stop for one week. There are no inactive placebo tablets in the standard Microgynon 30 pack; the seven-day gap is a true break. If you prefer an every-day format with no break, Microgynon 30 ED contains the same active tablets plus seven inactive placebo tablets.

Levonorgestrel has been used in oral contraceptives for several decades. Its risk and tolerability profile is among the most comprehensively documented in combined pill prescribing. From a VTE perspective, levonorgestrel-containing pills sit in a lower risk class than third-generation alternatives, which is one clinical reason they are frequently chosen as an initial combined pill for healthy women with no specific indication for a different progestogen.

Stopping Ovulation

The oestrogen and progestogen components act together on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. They suppress the hormonal signals that govern the natural cycle, specifically follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone. Removing the luteinising hormone surge prevents the ovary from releasing an egg. No egg, no fertilisation.

Cervical Mucus Barrier

Levonorgestrel changes the composition of cervical mucus, making it thicker and less permeable. Sperm are unable to travel through it as easily. This secondary mechanism contributes to contraceptive protection on any cycle where ovulation suppression is not fully complete.

Endometrial Effect

The hormonal environment created by Microgynon 30 also changes the endometrial lining. It becomes less receptive to implantation. This provides a further layer of protection, though in practice the primary mechanism of ovulation suppression is the dominant one.

The Seven-Day Break and Withdrawal Bleed

When you stop taking tablets after day 21, oestrogen and progestogen levels in the bloodstream fall. This drop triggers a withdrawal bleed, which typically begins within two to three days of the last tablet. The bleed is not a true menstrual period: it is driven by hormone withdrawal rather than by a natural cycle. It is usually lighter and shorter than a natural period. Starting a new pack more than seven days after the last tablet risks allowing ovarian follicle activity to resume before the next course of tablets re-establishes hormonal suppression.

When to Start

1. First day of your period (Day 1 start): protection is immediate from the first tablet.
2. Days 2 to 5 of your period: protection begins from day 8. Use a barrier method such as condoms for the first seven days.
3. Switching from another combined pill: take the first Microgynon 30 tablet the day after your last active tablet from the previous pack. No break is needed; contraceptive cover is continuous.
4. Switching from a progestogen-only pill: you can start on any day. Use a barrier method for the first seven days.
5. After childbirth (not breastfeeding): a prescriber will advise on timing. Starting after day 21 post-delivery requires barrier contraception for seven days.

Taking the Tablets

Take one tablet at the same time every day for 21 consecutive days. After the 21st tablet, pause for seven days. Begin the next pack on day 29, whether or not the withdrawal bleed has finished. The break must be no longer than seven days.

1. Swallow each tablet whole with a glass of water.
2. Same-time daily dosing keeps hormone levels consistent. A phone reminder or pill app can help.
3. Do not shorten the active course or lengthen the break beyond seven days.
4. Vomiting within two hours of taking a tablet, or a bout of severe diarrhoea, may prevent the dose from being absorbed. Treat the situation as a missed pill.

What to Do If You Miss a Tablet

1. Under 24 hours late: take the tablet as soon as you remember and continue the pack at the usual time. Contraceptive protection is maintained.
2. More than 24 hours late: take the missed tablet immediately and take the next one at the usual time, even if this means two tablets fall on the same day. Use a condom or other barrier method for the following seven days.
3. Two or more tablets missed in a row: take only the most recently missed tablet, leave the earlier ones untaken, and continue the pack from the current day. Use barrier contraception for seven days. If the missed tablets were in week one of the pack and you had unprotected sex in the seven days before noticing, contact your prescriber or pharmacist about emergency contraception.

Per-Tablet Content

1. Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms
2. Levonorgestrel 150 micrograms
3. Monophasic: identical dose in every tablet
4. 21 active tablets per pack; no inactive tablets

Dosage Schedule

One tablet daily for 21 days, seven-day break, new pack on day 29. Dose is fixed. No titration, no escalation, no dose change across the pack.

Clinically Equivalent Preparations

The following preparations are considered interchangeable with Microgynon 30 under NHS and FSRH prescribing guidance. All contain ethinylestradiol 30 mcg and levonorgestrel 150 mcg:

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

Related Format: Microgynon 30 ED

Microgynon 30 ED contains the same 21 active tablets as Microgynon 30, plus 7 inactive placebo tablets. You take a tablet every day without a break. The withdrawal bleed still occurs, during the inactive tablet days. The contraceptive content and effectiveness are identical. The format suits women who prefer not to track a break period.

The following is based on the current Microgynon 30 UK SmPC. Side effects vary between individuals; many women experience none. Read the full Patient Information Leaflet before starting.

Common Side Effects

• Headache
• Nausea, most commonly in the first few weeks
• Breast tenderness or fullness
• Low mood or mood changes
• Decreased interest in sex
• Spotting or changes to the withdrawal bleed pattern, particularly in the first one to three cycles
• Changes in vaginal discharge

Less Common Side Effects

• Weight changes
• Contact lens intolerance from changes in corneal shape or moisture
• Chloasma: skin darkening, usually on the face, made worse by sun exposure

Serious Side Effects – Seek Urgent Help Immediately If You Notice

• Sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood: possible clot in the lungs or a heart attack.
• Swelling, pain, redness, or heat in one leg: possible deep vein thrombosis.
• Sudden severe headache, blurred vision, weakness on one side of the body, or difficulty speaking: possible stroke.
• Severe pain in the abdomen: possible liver problem or ectopic pregnancy.
• Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes: possible liver dysfunction or jaundice.

Blood Clot Risk: How Microgynon 30 Compares

Combined oral contraceptives increase VTE risk compared with women using no hormonal contraception. The absolute risk for healthy women remains low, but it is real. Levonorgestrel-containing pills including Microgynon 30 carry a lower VTE risk than combined pills containing desogestrel, gestodene, or drospirenone. MHRA guidance confirms this. Your prescriber assesses your personal risk factors, including BMI, smoking, personal or family history of clots, and planned immobility, before recommending any combined pill.

Medicines That Can Reduce How Well Microgynon 30 Works

Enzyme-inducing medicines speed up the body's breakdown of ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel, lowering blood levels of both hormones and reducing contraceptive reliability. Relevant examples include:

• Rifampicin and rifabutin (antibiotics used in tuberculosis treatment)
• Antiepileptic medicines: phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, primidone, and topiramate
• Certain HIV antiretrovirals: ritonavir, efavirenz, and others
• St John's Wort, sold without prescription in pharmacies and health food stores

Tell your prescriber about every medicine, supplement, and herbal product you take. If an enzyme-inducing medicine is added while you are on Microgynon 30, your prescriber will advise whether extra precautions or a different method is needed.

Microgynon 30 Is Not Suitable If You:

• Have ever had a venous or arterial blood clot: DVT, pulmonary embolism, stroke, or heart attack
• Have migraine with aura. This is an absolute contraindication for all oestrogen-containing pills, regardless of progestogen type or oestrogen dose
• Have blood pressure that is consistently high and not controlled
• Have current or previous liver disease, liver tumours, or a history of jaundice caused by pill use
• Have a present or past diagnosis of breast cancer or a hormone-sensitive cancer
• Are pregnant or have reason to think you may be
• Are breastfeeding a baby younger than six weeks
• Smoke cigarettes and are 35 years of age or older
• Have diabetes with vascular complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, or nerves

Microgynon 30 May Be Appropriate If You:

• Are a healthy adult woman with no contraindications to combined hormonal contraception
• Are starting the combined pill for the first time and have no clinical reason to select a third-generation progestogen
• Have previously used Levest, Rigevidon, or Ovranette and your prescription is being updated to the branded version, or vice versa
• Have no personal or family history of blood clots, stroke, or significant cardiovascular disease
• Do not experience migraine with aura and are not a heavy smoker

Talk to Your Prescriber Before Starting If You:

• Smoke and are under 35. Smoking at any age increases cardiovascular risk when combined with oestrogen-containing contraception.
• Have a BMI over 30. Raised BMI independently increases VTE risk and is factored into the prescriber's assessment.
• Have a parent or sibling who developed a blood clot before the age of 50. This may point to an inherited clotting tendency.
• Get migraines without aura. Individual clinical assessment is needed before any combined pill is prescribed.
• Are about to take a long-haul flight or face extended bed rest or immobility. Both independently raise VTE risk.
• Have a history of depression or are currently receiving treatment for a mood disorder.

Pharmacy Planet holds a GPhC registration and operates as a regulated UK online pharmacy. Every prescription we issue follows an individual clinical consultation reviewed by a registered prescriber. This is a legal requirement, not a formality.

When you submit a consultation for Microgynon 30, you will answer a clinical questionnaire covering your medical history, current medications, smoking habits, weight, family history, and previous contraceptive experience. The prescriber reads every response and decides independently whether prescribing Microgynon 30 is appropriate for your health at this time. Even though Microgynon 30 sits in the lowest VTE risk category among combined pills, every prescription still requires this full individual review. Risk categories describe populations, not individuals.

The prescriber may issue a prescription, recommend a different pill or contraceptive method, ask for more information, or advise an in-person assessment. Any of these outcomes is possible. Completing a questionnaire does not bind the prescriber to issue a prescription. Repeat supply prescriptions go through the same process; there is no automatic renewal.

• Store below 25°C. Keep the pack away from radiators, direct sunlight, and damp environments such as bathroom shelves.
• Keep tablets in the original blister strip. The foil protects the tablets from moisture and shows you which ones you have already taken.
• Store out of reach and sight of children at all times.
• Check the expiry date on the outer carton before use. Discard expired packs.
• Return unused or out-of-date tablets to a UK pharmacy. Pharmacies accept returned medicines for safe disposal under Duty of Care regulations, free of charge. Do not put tablets in household waste or flush them down the toilet.

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.

Microgynon 30 is one of the most prescribed combined pills in the UK. Its clinical profile is well understood and its generic equivalents are widely dispensed. None of that changes the fact that prescribing it still requires a proper assessment of your individual health. A well-known medicine is not a safe medicine for everyone.

At Pharmacy Planet, every consultation for Microgynon 30 is reviewed by a registered prescriber who examines your health information and makes a clinical decision. We do not issue prescriptions on the basis of volume, speed, or convenience. If your profile does not support a prescription for this preparation, you will be told clearly and guided towards a more appropriate route.

Our GPhC registration is publicly verifiable at www.pharmacyregulation.org. The Internet Pharmacy logo on our website confirms our standing as a legitimate, regulated UK online pharmacy. Our pharmacy team is contactable at any stage of the consultation process or after dispensing if you have questions.

1. Bayer plc. Microgynon 30 film-coated tablets – Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk/emc. Accessed May 2026.
2. Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH). Combined Hormonal Contraception – Clinical Guidance. Available at: www.fsrh.org. Accessed May 2026.
3. NHS. Combined pill – your contraception guide. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/combined-contraceptive-pill. Accessed May 2026.
4. British National Formulary (BNF). Ethinylestradiol with levonorgestrel. Available at: bnf.nice.org.uk. Accessed May 2026.
5. 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.