levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol extended cycle oral contraceptive, Seasonale

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GENERIC NAME: LEVONORGESTREL/ETHINYL ESTRADIOL EXTENDED CYCLE ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE (LEE-voe-nor-jes-trel/ETH-in-il es-tra-DYE-ole)

BRAND NAME(S): Seasonale

Warning | Medication Uses | How To Use | Side Effects | Precautions | Drug Interactions | Overdose | Notes | Missed Dose | Storage

WARNING: Smoking cigarettes/using tobacco while using hormonal birth control (pill/patch/ring) increases your risk of heart problems and stroke. Do not smoke. The risk of heart problems increases with age (especially in women over 35) and with frequent smoking (15 or more cigarettes a day).

USES: This medication is a combination of 2 hormones (an estrogen and a progestin) and is used to prevent pregnancy. It works mainly by preventing the release of an egg (ovulation) during your menstrual cycle. It also can work by making vaginal fluid thicker to help prevent sperm from reaching an egg (fertilization) and by changing the lining of the uterus (womb) to prevent attachment of a fertilized egg. If a fertilized egg does not attach to the uterus, it passes out of the body.Besides preventing pregnancy, birth control pills have been shown to help make your periods more regular, decrease blood loss and painful periods (dysmenorrhea), and decrease your risk of ovarian cysts.Using this medication does not protect you or your partner against sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., HIV, gonorrhea).

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Need help identifying pills and medications? Use the pill identifier tool on RxList.