Femodene
"A branded combined contraceptive pill that’s highly effective in preventing pregnancy. To take it, you’ll need an annual blood pressure and weight check."
What is Femodene?
The Femodene pill is a branded combined oral contraceptive. It’s 99% effective in preventing pregnancy when you take it correctly.
How does it work?
The Femodene birth control pill contains two hormones, ethinylestradiol and gestodene. Together they help to:
- Stop your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
- Thicken the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for sperm to reach an egg.
- Thin the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself.
How to use Femodene
Most women choose to take one daily Femodene pill for 21 days, with a 4 or 7 day break before they start the next pack. You’re likely to have a withdrawal bleed during this break. However, there are other ways to take Femodene.
- Continuous use is taking one Femodene contraceptive pill daily without a break.
- Tricycling is where you take a daily pill for 9 weeks without a break (three packs of pills). After these 9 weeks you take a 4 or 7 day break, then start the cycle again.
- Flexible extended use means taking one pill daily for at least 21 days. If you experience heavier bleeds and would rather have a shorter bleed window, you can take a 4-day break instead of 7. On day 5 start taking the pill daily again, and continue for at least 21 days without another break.
Our clinicians will let you know which way is best for you to use Femodene.
Effectiveness
When taken correctly, Femodene is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In cases where it’s not taken exactly as prescribed, Femodene can lead to pregnancy for around 9 out of 100 women. So it’s important to follow advice and instructions.
If you’re vomiting or have severe diarrhoea while taking this pill, you may not be protected against pregnancy. If you can have sex, use condoms along with continuing to take the pill as usual. If the vomiting continues for more than 24 hours, follow the same steps as you would for a missed pill.
Important: you should only start taking Femodene if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.
Side effects of Femodene
It’s not common to get side effects from Femodene tablets, but for some women these can include headaches, period pain, sore breasts, feeling sick or stomach pain.
This pill carries a slightly higher risk of blood clots than others. In rare cases some women will develop them.
For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Femodene patient information leaflet. And if you’re worried about side effects, including blood clots, you can contact us in your Patient Record.
Product features
99% effective when taken as prescribed
Contains the hormones ethinylestradiol and gestodene
You usually take it for 21 days followed by a 7-day break
What is Femodene?
The Femodene pill is a branded combined oral contraceptive. It’s 99% effective in preventing pregnancy when you take it correctly.
How does it work?
The Femodene birth control pill contains two hormones, ethinylestradiol and gestodene. Together they help to:
- Stop your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
- Thicken the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for sperm to reach an egg.
- Thin the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself.
How to use Femodene
Most women choose to take one daily Femodene pill for 21 days, with a 4 or 7 day break before they start the next pack. You’re likely to have a withdrawal bleed during this break. However, there are other ways to take Femodene.
- Continuous use is taking one Femodene contraceptive pill daily without a break.
- Tricycling is where you take a daily pill for 9 weeks without a break (three packs of pills). After these 9 weeks you take a 4 or 7 day break, then start the cycle again.
- Flexible extended use means taking one pill daily for at least 21 days. If you experience heavier bleeds and would rather have a shorter bleed window, you can take a 4-day break instead of 7. On day 5 start taking the pill daily again, and continue for at least 21 days without another break.
Our clinicians will let you know which way is best for you to use Femodene.
Effectiveness
When taken correctly, Femodene is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In cases where it’s not taken exactly as prescribed, Femodene can lead to pregnancy for around 9 out of 100 women. So it’s important to follow advice and instructions.
If you’re vomiting or have severe diarrhoea while taking this pill, you may not be protected against pregnancy. If you can have sex, use condoms along with continuing to take the pill as usual. If the vomiting continues for more than 24 hours, follow the same steps as you would for a missed pill.
Important: you should only start taking Femodene if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.
Side effects of Femodene
It’s not common to get side effects from Femodene tablets, but for some women these can include headaches, period pain, sore breasts, feeling sick or stomach pain.
This pill carries a slightly higher risk of blood clots than others. In rare cases some women will develop them.
For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Femodene patient information leaflet. And if you’re worried about side effects, including blood clots, you can contact us in your Patient Record.
Select a medication and complete our simple, confidential online consultation
A clinician will review your answers and, if suitable, prescribe treatment
Choose next-day delivery, or click & collect from your local pharmacy
Femodene FAQs
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How long does Femodene take to work?
If you start taking Femodene on days 1-5 of your period, this should give you immediate protection against pregnancy.
However, if you start Femodene after day one and you have a short or irregular menstrual cycle, you’ll need to use extra contraception like condoms for 7 days if you have sex. Your clinician can advise on this.
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Does Femodene stop periods?
It’s normal to get bleeding and spotting between your periods for the first few months of taking Femodene. However, this usually stops once your body has adjusted to the pill. If the bleeds continue, become heavy or start again, you should contact your clinician.
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Who can take Femodene?
You shouldn’t take Femodene if:
- You have, or have ever had, a blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT), your lungs (pulmonary embolus, PE) or other organs.
- You have a blood clotting disorder.
- You have, or have ever had, a heart attack or stroke.
- You have very high blood pressure.
There are other instances where the pill is not suitable, and our clinicians can advise on this during your online consultation.
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Can I take Femodene while breastfeeding?
If you’re breastfeeding, it’s likely you’ll be advised to not take Femodene. Combined contraceptives can reduce milk supply and may also put you at greater risk of blood clots in the first 6 weeks after birth.
One of our clinicians can prescribe alternatives from our wide range of contraceptives.
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What if I miss my Femodene pill?
If you miss one pill at any point in your pack or start a new pack 1 day late, you’re still protected from pregnancy.
Here’s what to do:
- Take the missed pill as soon as possible, even if it means taking 2 pills on the same day.
- Continue taking the remaining pills at your regular schedule.
- If you normally have a pill-free break, stick to your usual timing.
If you’ve missed two or more pills (over 48 hours late), your contraceptive protection may be reduced.
Follow these steps:
- Take the most recent missed pill right away, even if it means taking 2 pills in one day.
- Skip any other earlier missed pills.
- Use additional contraception, like condoms, for the next 7 days.
- Continue with your pack as normal.
- You may need emergency contraception if you have had unprotected sex after missing pills.
When you finish the pack after missing pills:
- If there are 7+ pills left in your pack: Finish the pack as usual and take your 7-day pill-free break as planned.
- If fewer than 7 pills are left in your pack: Skip the pill-free break and start a new pack immediately.
You may need emergency contraception if:
- You’ve had unprotected sex after missing pills.
- You had unprotected sex in the 7 days before the missed pills.
Our clinicians can prescribe emergency contraception, if it’s safe to do so.
For full details of correct use and what to do if you miss a pill, please see the Femodene patient information leaflet. If you need more advice you can contact us in your Patient Record.
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Where can I buy Femodene?
As this pill is prescription only, you’ll need to consult with a clinician before you can buy the treatment, even if you’re using an online service.
One of our clinicians can prescribe Femodene for you after an online consultation. It’s completely confidential and only takes a few minutes. To make sure the medication is safe for you, we’ll ask you a few questions including details of your height, weight and blood pressure. If you can’t measure these at home we can do it for you at your nearest Well Pharmacy.
Then you can pick up your prescribed medication from the pharmacy, or we’ll deliver it to your door in plain, unbranded packaging.
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What to do if I get Femodene side effects
You should talk to your clinician if you get any side effects from taking Femodene, whether they’re listed or not.
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Femodene warnings
Combined contraceptives can raise your blood pressure, which could be dangerous. So, it’s important to check your blood pressure before starting the treatment, then once a year after that.
As part of your consultation, we’ll ask you if you’ve had your blood pressure checked recently, or checked it yourself at home using a blood pressure monitor. This information is required before we can prescribe combined contraceptives like Femodene.
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Femodene drug interactions
You should be able to take Femodene alongside other medications. So that our clinicians can prescribe it safely, you’ll need to let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you’re taking regularly.
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Alternative Femodene contraception
A combined pill like Femodene is just one of a wide range of contraceptives we can advise you on and prescribe. These include NuvaRing, Evra Patch, the contraceptive injection, combined pills and progestogen only pills.
See our full contraception range here.
You can also get long-acting contraceptives through your GP or family planning clinic. These include the coil, implants, and contraceptive injections.
