desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol (DESOGEN, MIRCETTE, ORTHO-CEPT)

Drug and Dietary Supplement Profiles

A comprehensive review of the safety and effectiveness of this drug. If the drug is not a Do Not Use product, information on adverse effects, drug interactions and how to use the medication are included.

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desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol (DESOGEN, MIRCETTE, ORTHO-CEPT)
We list these drugs as Do Not Use drugs because they cause blood clots and are no more effective than other oral contraceptives in preventing pregnancy.

Disease and Drug Family Information

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Oral Contraceptives [hide all summaries]
The pill can cause many adverse effects. Some of them are merely a nuisance, while others can be life-threatening. The pill can cause headaches, bloating, nausea, irregular bleeding and spotting, breast tenderness, weight gain, or vision changes. Other more serious adverse effects that can occur from a few months to a few years after starting oral contraceptives include high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, liver tumors, depression, and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes. Temporary infertility has been associated with the period of time right after pill use is stopped. But the two most dangerous risks associated with taking birth control pills are blood clots and cancer.

Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter Articles

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Public Citizen Petitions FDA To Ban Oral Contraceptives Containing Desogestrel [hide all summaries]
(April 2007)
Public Citizen's Health Research Group filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 6, 2007, to ban the sale of all third-generation oral contraceptives (OCs), which double the risk of potentially life-threatening blood clots compared to second-generation birth control pills. A list of these oral contraceptives that contain desogestrel accompanies this article.

Do Not Use! Reports of Blood Clots With the Use of the Oral Contraceptive Drospirenone With Ethinyl Estradiol (YASMIN) [hide all summaries]
(May 2003)
You should not use Yasmin for the reasons we stated in the April 2002 newsletter. Some physicians may believe that Yasmin is less likely to cause blood clots than older oral contraceptives; however, there is no research to support such a belief.

Additional Information from Public Citizen

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Petition to the FDA to Ban Third Generation Oral Contraceptives Containing Desogestrel due to Increased Risk of Venous Thrombosis (HRG Publication #1799) [hide all summaries]
It is estimated that women in the U.S. filled more than 7.5 million prescriptions for third generation oral contraceptives this past year (November 2005 to October 2006) (IMS, National Prescription Audit). By banning third generation oral contraceptives, the FDA will potentially save hundreds of young women a year from developing venous thrombosis and its disabling and sometimes fatal consequences.