Noriday Tablets

Noriday is a progestogen-only contraceptive tablet containing norethisterone 350 micrograms per tablet. It is licensed in the United Kingdom for the prevention of pregnancy. Noriday belongs to the progestogen-only contraceptive group of medicines, commonly referred to as the mini pill, and works primarily by thickening cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching an egg, and by altering the endometrial lining. It is available as a tablet taken every day with no break between packs. This page provides information about how Noriday works, how to take it correctly, what makes it different from other progestogen-only pills, and important safety information.

Noriday contains norethisterone, a first-generation synthetic progestogen. It does not contain oestrogen. This makes it suitable for women who cannot or prefer not to take oestrogen-containing contraception, including women who are breastfeeding, smokers aged 35 and over, and women with certain cardiovascular risk factors or a history of migraine with aura. Noriday is manufactured by Pfizer Limited and requires a prescription from a registered clinician before it can be supplied.

Noriday is a progestogen-only pill (POP). It contains no oestrogen. Each tablet delivers norethisterone 350 micrograms. It is taken every day at the same time, with no breaks between packs and no pill-free intervals.

Noriday is clinically distinct from the desogestrel-based progestogen-only pills available in the UK, such as Cerazette, Cerelle, and Feanolla. The key differences are:

1. Noriday contains norethisterone 350 micrograms; desogestrel pills contain desogestrel 75 micrograms
2. Noriday has a 3-hour missed pill window; desogestrel pills have a 12-hour window
3. Noriday does not reliably suppress ovulation in all cycles; desogestrel pills suppress ovulation in approximately 97% of cycles according to their SmPC
4. Noriday works primarily through cervical mucus thickening; desogestrel pills work primarily through ovulation suppression

These differences are clinically significant. Women switching from a desogestrel pill to Noriday need to understand that the missed pill rules are stricter and the mechanism of action is different. Your prescriber will take this into account when assessing which progestogen-only pill is appropriate for you.

Noriday is also known under the active ingredient name norethisterone. Micronor is a clinically equivalent preparation containing the same active ingredient at the same dose. Both are considered interchangeable under prescribing guidance.

Primary mechanism: cervical mucus thickening

Norethisterone thickens the cervical mucus, making it significantly more viscous and resistant to sperm penetration. This is the primary contraceptive mechanism of Noriday. Sperm cannot travel through the thickened mucus to reach an egg, preventing fertilisation.

Endometrial effect

Norethisterone also alters the endometrial lining of the uterus, making it less receptive to implantation. This provides a secondary layer of contraceptive protection.

Ovulation suppression: not the primary mechanism

Unlike desogestrel-based progestogen-only pills, Noriday does not consistently suppress ovulation in all cycles. Ovulation may or may not be inhibited depending on the individual and the cycle. This is why strict daily timing is so important with Noriday: the cervical mucus thickening effect, which is the primary protection, is highly time-dependent. If Noriday is taken more than three hours late, the mucus thickening effect diminishes, and protection is reduced.

Important: Noriday has a 3-hour missed pill window. This is stricter than the 12-hour window for desogestrel-based pills. If you take Noriday more than 3 hours late, treat it as a missed pill and use barrier contraception for the next 48 hours.

Starting Noriday

If you start on day one of your period, you are protected from pregnancy immediately. If you start on any other day of your cycle, use a barrier method for the first 48 hours.

If you are switching from a combined pill, start Noriday the day after your last active combined pill tablet. If you are switching from a desogestrel progestogen-only pill, start Noriday on the day after your last desogestrel tablet. In both cases, use a barrier method for the first 48 hours to be safe.

If you are starting after childbirth and are breastfeeding, Noriday can be started from day 21 post-delivery without the need for additional contraception.

Daily use

Take one Noriday tablet at the same time every day. There is no break between packs. Take the first tablet from the next pack the day after the last tablet from the previous pack.

1. Swallow each tablet whole with water.
2. Take Noriday at the same time every day without exception. The three-hour window means timing matters more with Noriday than with most other pills.
3. There is no withdrawal bleed built into the Noriday cycle. Any bleeding or spotting that occurs is a consequence of how your body responds to norethisterone.
4. If you vomit within two hours of taking a tablet, or have severe diarrhoea, absorption may be affected. Treat it as a missed pill and follow the guidance below.

The 3-hour missed pill rule

This is the most important practical distinction between Noriday and desogestrel-based mini pills. If you take Noriday more than three hours after your usual time, the contraceptive protection from cervical mucus thickening may be reduced.

1. Under 3 hours late: take the missed tablet straight away and continue at the usual time. Protection is maintained.
2. More than 3 hours late: take the missed tablet immediately and continue at the usual time. Use a barrier method for the next 48 hours.

If you are unsure how late you are, err on the side of caution and use barrier contraception. Contact your pharmacist or prescriber if you need guidance on a specific scenario not covered here.

Noriday contains norethisterone 350 micrograms per tablet. Every tablet in the pack is identical. There is one strength available. One tablet is taken every day, at the same time, continuously with no break between packs.

Noriday and Micronor

Micronor is a clinically equivalent preparation containing norethisterone 350 micrograms per tablet. Both Noriday and Micronor are manufactured by Pfizer Limited and are considered interchangeable. If your pharmacy dispenses Micronor when you expected Noriday, the active content is the same.

Noriday versus desogestrel progestogen-only pills

Noriday (norethisterone 350 mcg) and desogestrel-based pills (Cerazette, Cerelle, Feanolla at 75 mcg) are both progestogen-only pills but they are not interchangeable without prescriber review. The missed pill windows, primary mechanisms, and ovulation suppression rates differ. If you are being switched between these types, a clinical consultation confirming the switch is appropriate is required.

The following is based on the current UK SmPC for Noriday. Not everyone experiences side effects. Read the Patient Information Leaflet in full before starting.

Common side effects

The most commonly reported effects of Noriday relate to changes in the bleeding pattern. Irregular bleeding, spotting between periods, more frequent periods, or periods becoming lighter or stopping altogether are all possible. These changes are a recognised effect of norethisterone-based progestogen-only pills and are not in themselves harmful.

Other common side effects include headache, nausea, breast tenderness, mood changes, and changes in libido.

Less common side effects

• Weight changes
• Skin changes including acne, which may be related to norethisterone's mild androgenic activity
• Changes in vaginal discharge
• Contact lens intolerance

Serious signs to act on

Seek urgent medical attention if you experience:

• Sudden severe abdominal pain: possible ectopic pregnancy, particularly if your periods have been absent
• Chest pain, breathlessness, or coughing up blood
• Swelling, warmth, or pain in one leg
• Sudden severe headache, visual disturbance, or one-sided weakness

Women using progestogen-only pills have a small increased risk of ectopic pregnancy if contraceptive failure occurs. If you have severe one-sided abdominal pain and have missed a period, seek medical advice promptly.

Medicines that affect Noriday

Enzyme-inducing medicines increase the breakdown of norethisterone, reducing its contraceptive effectiveness. These include rifampicin, certain antiepileptic medicines such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and topiramate, some HIV antiretrovirals, and St John's Wort. If you are prescribed one of these, discuss alternative or additional contraception with your prescriber. Declare every medicine, supplement, and herbal product at your consultation.

Noriday may not be suitable if you:

• Have or have had breast cancer or another sex-hormone-sensitive cancer
• Have unexplained vaginal bleeding that has not been assessed by a clinician
• Have active liver disease or liver tumours
• Are allergic to norethisterone or any of the tablet excipients
• Have a history of ectopic pregnancy and are not considered suitable for a progestogen-only method

Noriday may be appropriate if you:

• Cannot or prefer not to take oestrogen-containing contraception
• Have migraine with aura, which is a contraindication to combined hormonal contraceptives but not to progestogen-only pills
• Are a smoker aged 35 or over, for whom combined hormonal contraception is contraindicated
• Are breastfeeding and require a method compatible with lactation
• Have cardiovascular risk factors that make oestrogen-containing pills unsuitable
• Prefer a pill with a longer track record than desogestrel-based alternatives

Important consideration: the 3-hour window

Noriday requires strict daily timing. If your lifestyle makes it difficult to take a tablet at the same time every day to within a three-hour window, a desogestrel-based progestogen-only pill with its 12-hour missed pill window may be a more practical choice. Your prescriber will discuss this with you as part of your consultation.

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered UK online pharmacy. Every Noriday prescription follows a clinical consultation reviewed by a registered prescriber. The consultation is the first step. A prescription is the possible outcome, not a guaranteed result.

Because norethisterone-based progestogen-only pills differ clinically from desogestrel-based alternatives in their mechanism, their missed pill window, and their ovulation suppression profile, your prescriber will assess which progestogen-only pill is most appropriate for your individual circumstances. If you are switching from Cerazette, Cerelle, or Feanolla to Noriday, or vice versa, the prescriber will confirm whether that switch is clinically appropriate and explain the differences in timing rules you need to be aware of.

Repeat supply prescriptions follow the same individual clinical review. There is no automatic renewal at Pharmacy Planet.

• Store Noriday below 25°C, away from direct heat and sunlight.
• Keep tablets in the original blister strip.
• Store out of reach of children and check the expiry date before each new pack.
• Return unused or out-of-date tablets to any UK pharmacy for safe disposal at no charge.
• Do not flush tablets or put them in 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.

Progestogen-Only Tablets (Mini Pill)

Progestogen-only pills contain no oestrogen and are taken every day with no break between packs. The table below compares commonly prescribed progestogen-only pills by missed pill window, primary contraceptive mechanism, and clinical characteristics. These differences are clinically significant and pills are not interchangeable without prescriber review.

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.

Prescribing Noriday is not simply a matter of issuing a progestogen-only pill. Norethisterone has a different clinical profile from desogestrel, a stricter timing requirement, and a different patient population for whom it is most appropriate. Getting this right requires a prescriber who reads your consultation individually and understands the clinical context, not an automated system.

At Pharmacy Planet, every Noriday consultation is reviewed by a registered prescriber who takes responsibility for the prescribing decision. If a different progestogen-only pill would serve you better, they will say so.

• Pfizer Limited. Noriday 350 microgram tablets — Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk/emc. Accessed May 2026.
• Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH). Progestogen-Only Pills — Clinical Guidance. Available at: www.fsrh.org. Accessed May 2026.
• NHS. Progestogen-only pill (mini pill). Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/progestogen-only-pill. Accessed May 2026.
• British National Formulary (BNF). Norethisterone (as contraceptive). Available at: bnf.nice.org.uk. Accessed May 2026.
• FSRH Clinical Effectiveness Unit. Progestogen-Only Methods and Ectopic Pregnancy. Available at: www.fsrh.org. Accessed May 2026.