Rigevidon
"A 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 Rigevidon?
Rigevidon is a combined oral contraceptive that contains the same combination of hormones as the branded pills Microgynon and Ovranette. When you take it correctly, the Rigevidon pill is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. It can also be prescribed to treat other conditions, like:
- Painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea)
- The physical and emotional symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Endometriosis
- Heavy or irregular bleeding from the womb (uterus)
How does it work?
The Rigevidon contraceptive pill contains the hormones ethinylestradiol (oestrogen) and levonorgestrel (progesterone). Together they work to prevent pregnancy by:
- Stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
- Thickening the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for sperm to reach an egg.
- Thinning the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself.
How to take Rigevidon
Most women choose to take one daily Rigevidon 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.
- Continuous use is taking one Rigevidon 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 advise you on the best way to take this pill.
Effectiveness
When taken correctly, the Rigevidon combined pill is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In cases where it’s not taken exactly as prescribed, it 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. So 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 the Rigevidon pill if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.
Side effects of Rigevidon
As with all medications, some women may experience side effects when taking Rigevidon tablets. Common side effects, which may affect up to 1 in 10 women, include:
- Vaginitis
- Mood swings including depression
- Changes in sex drive
- Nervousness
- Dizziness
- Feeling sick or vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Acne
- Tender or sore breasts
- Breast enlargement and discharge
- Painful periods
- No period bleeding or a reduced bleed
- An increase in weight
Common side effects tend to stop once your body has become used to taking the pill.
For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Rigevidon 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 you take it as prescribed
Contains the hormones ethinylestradiol (oestrogen) and levonorgestrel (progesterone)
You take it for 21 days followed by a 7-day break
What is Rigevidon?
Rigevidon is a combined oral contraceptive that contains the same combination of hormones as the branded pills Microgynon and Ovranette. When you take it correctly, the Rigevidon pill is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. It can also be prescribed to treat other conditions, like:
- Painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea)
- The physical and emotional symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Endometriosis
- Heavy or irregular bleeding from the womb (uterus)
How does it work?
The Rigevidon contraceptive pill contains the hormones ethinylestradiol (oestrogen) and levonorgestrel (progesterone). Together they work to prevent pregnancy by:
- Stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
- Thickening the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for sperm to reach an egg.
- Thinning the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself.
How to take Rigevidon
Most women choose to take one daily Rigevidon 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.
- Continuous use is taking one Rigevidon 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 advise you on the best way to take this pill.
Effectiveness
When taken correctly, the Rigevidon combined pill is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In cases where it’s not taken exactly as prescribed, it 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. So 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 the Rigevidon pill if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.
Side effects of Rigevidon
As with all medications, some women may experience side effects when taking Rigevidon tablets. Common side effects, which may affect up to 1 in 10 women, include:
- Vaginitis
- Mood swings including depression
- Changes in sex drive
- Nervousness
- Dizziness
- Feeling sick or vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Acne
- Tender or sore breasts
- Breast enlargement and discharge
- Painful periods
- No period bleeding or a reduced bleed
- An increase in weight
Common side effects tend to stop once your body has become used to taking the pill.
For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Rigevidon patient information leaflet. And if you’re worried about side effects, including blood clots, you can contact us in your Patient Record.
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Rigevidon FAQs
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How long does Rigevidon take to work?
If you start taking Rigevidon on days 1-5 of your period, this should give you immediate protection against pregnancy.
However, if you start taking Rigevidon after day one and you have a short or irregular menstrual cycle, you’ll need to use extra barrier contraception like condoms for 7 days if you have sex. We’ll advise you on this during your online consultation.
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Does Rigevidon stop periods?
It’s possible to avoid having a period if you take 2 packets of Rigevidon back-to-back. The pill usually makes your periods more regular, lighter and less painful. Our clinicians can advise on delaying your period using contraceptive pills.
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Who can take Rigevidon?
You should always speak to a clinician before taking Rigevidon, they can make sure it’s safe for you to take. You shouldn’t use Rigevidon if:
- You’re allergic to the ingredients.
- You’ve ever had a blood clot.
- You have a disorder affecting blood clotting.
- You’ve ever had a heart attack or stroke.
- You’ve ever had a migraine that also affected your vision (with aura).
- You have very high blood pressure.
- You have diabetes with blood vessel damage.
For more information about Rigevidon and underlying health conditions you should read the patient information leaflet.
Can smokers use Rigevidon?
Smokers under 35 should be able to take Rigevidon. However, if you’re a smoker over 35, you’ll be advised to try alternatives like the progestogen-only pill, intrauterine device (IUD), intrauterine system (IUS), contraceptive implant or the contraceptive injection.
Can I take Rigevidon while breastfeeding?
If you’re breastfeeding, you should wait for 6 weeks after giving birth before taking Rigevidon.
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What if I miss my Rigevidon 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 Rigevidon patient information leaflet. If you need more advice you can contact us in your Patient Record.
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Where can I buy Rigevidon?
As this pill is prescription only you’ll need to be approved by a clinician before you can buy the treatment, even if you’re using an online service.
We can prescribe Rigevidon for you online, for discreet delivery or to pick up from your nearest Well pharmacy. To make sure it’s safe for you, we'll ask you a series of questions including your height, weight and blood pressure.
Start an online consultation. It’ll only take a few minutes and is completely confidential.
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What to do if I get Rigevidon side effects
As with all medications, some women may experience side effects when taking Rigevidon. You should talk to your doctor if you get any side effects that you think are related to Rigevidon, particularly if they’re severe and persistent. This includes any side effects not listed on the patient information leaflet.
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Rigevidon warnings
Combined contraceptives can raise your blood pressure, which can 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 Rigevidon.
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Rigevidon drug interactions
You should be able to take Rigevidon 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 Rigevidon contraception
A combination pill like Rigevidon 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.
