Contraceptive Pill Names: A List of UK Pill Brands
Reviewed by Usama Ali, MPharm (GPhC: 2224726). Last reviewed: October 2026.
Pill names can be confusing. The same pill is often sold under several brand names, and some names you may remember have been discontinued.
This guide lists the contraceptive pills available in the UK, grouped by the hormones they contain, so you can see which brands are the same medicine.
In a nutshell
There are dozens of contraceptive pill brands in the UK, but they contain a small number of medicines. Many brands are the same medicine at the same dose, made by different companies: Microgynon 30, Rigevidon and Levest are one example, and Cerazette, Cerelle and Zelleta another. Combined pills contain an oestrogen and a progestogen; mini pills contain only a progestogen.
Quick facts
- Brands with the same hormones at the same doses work the same way.
- Combined pills contain an oestrogen and a progestogen; mini pills contain no oestrogen.
- Only two mini pills, Hana and Lovima, can be bought without a prescription.
- Every pill in the British National Formulary is free on the NHS.
Getting it free on the NHS
Whichever brand you take, the combined pill and the mini pill are free on the NHS. Contraception Direct supplies them through the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service, after a phone consultation with a GPhC-registered pharmacist, to people aged 16 and over. Supply depends on the pharmacist's assessment.
Speak to a pharmacist, GP or clinic before you change if
- You want to move to a pill with different hormones or doses, not just a different brand
- You have had new side effects since your brand changed
- You are allergic to soya or peanuts: Lucette's coating and Lovima contain soya
- Your brand has been discontinued and you are not sure what replaces it
What are the main types of contraceptive pill?
There are two main types of contraceptive pill. The combined pill contains an oestrogen and a progestogen, and the mini pill (progestogen-only pill) contains a progestogen only. Both are over 99% effective with perfect use and around 91% with typical use (NHS).
Most combined pills are monophasic: every active tablet has the same dose. They come as 21-day packs with a 7-day break, or as everyday packs with inactive tablets instead of a break. Phasic pills change the dose during the pack.
Which combined pill brands are the same?
Combined pill brands in the same row below contain the same hormones at the same doses, so they are the same medicine made by different companies. The pill you are given may change brand, for example Microgynon 30 to Rigevidon, without changing the medicine (EMC).
| Hormones in each active tablet | How it is taken | Brands |
|---|---|---|
| Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms + levonorgestrel 150 micrograms | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Microgynon 30, Rigevidon, Levest, Ovranette, Maexeni, Ambelina, Elevin |
| The same, in an everyday pack | 21 active and 7 inactive tablets, no break | Microgynon 30 ED |
| Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms + desogestrel 150 micrograms | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Marvelon, Gedarel 30/150, Cimizt |
| Ethinylestradiol 20 micrograms + desogestrel 150 micrograms | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Mercilon, Gedarel 20/150, Bimizza |
| Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms + gestodene 75 micrograms | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Femodene, Millinette 30/75, Akizza 75/30 |
| Ethinylestradiol 20 micrograms + gestodene 75 micrograms | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Femodette, Millinette 20/75, Akizza 75/20 |
| Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms + drospirenone 3 mg | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Yasmin, Lucette, Yacella, Dretine |
| Ethinylestradiol 20 micrograms + drospirenone 3 mg | 24 active and 4 inactive tablets, no break | Eloine |
| Ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms + norgestimate 250 micrograms | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Cilique, Lizinna |
| Ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms + norethisterone 500 micrograms | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Brevinor |
| Ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms + norethisterone 1 mg | 21 days, then a 7-day break | Norimin |
We compare the most searched pairs in Microgynon vs Rigevidon and Yasmin vs Lucette. There are also guides to Microgynon, Rigevidon, Levest and Yasmin.
Which combined pills use other hormones?
Three combined pills use a different oestrogen from ethinylestradiol. Qlaira contains estradiol valerate, Zoely contains estradiol, and Drovelis contains estetrol. All three come in everyday packs with no break, and Zoely and Qlaira have their own starting instructions (NHS).
| Brand | Hormones | How it is taken |
|---|---|---|
| Qlaira | Estradiol valerate with dienogest, in 4 phases | 26 active and 2 inactive tablets, no break |
| Zoely | Estradiol 1.5 mg + nomegestrol acetate 2.5 mg | 24 active and 4 inactive tablets, no break |
| Drovelis | Estetrol 14.2 mg + drospirenone 3 mg | 24 active and 4 inactive tablets, no break |
What are phasic pills?
Phasic pills are combined pills whose dose changes during the pack, so the tablets must be taken in order. Logynon and TriRegol have three phases of ethinylestradiol with levonorgestrel and a 7-day break; Logynon ED is the everyday version. Synphase has two strengths of norethisterone with ethinylestradiol, and Qlaira has four phases (EMC).
Which mini pill brands are the same?
Mini pills with the same progestogen at the same dose are the same medicine. Desogestrel 75 micrograms is sold under the most names, including Cerazette, Cerelle and Zelleta, and can be taken up to 12 hours late. Slynd can be taken up to 24 hours late, and the traditional mini pills, Noriday and Norgeston, only 3 hours (FSRH, 2022).
| Progestogen | How it is taken | Late window | Brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desogestrel 75 micrograms | Every day, no break | 12 hours | Cerazette, Cerelle, Zelleta, Desomono, Desorex, generic desogestrel; Hana and Lovima (pharmacy, no prescription) |
| Drospirenone 4 mg | 24 active and 4 inactive tablets, no break | 24 hours | Slynd |
| Norethisterone 350 micrograms | Every day, no break | 3 hours | Noriday |
| Levonorgestrel 30 micrograms | Every day, no break | 3 hours | Norgeston |
More on these in desogestrel, Cerelle vs Cerazette and Slynd.
Which pills can you buy without a prescription?
Two mini pills, Hana and Lovima, can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription after a chat with the pharmacist. Both contain desogestrel 75 micrograms, and the MHRA approved them for pharmacy sale in July 2021 (MHRA). You pay for these.
No combined pill can be bought over the counter in the UK. You do not need to buy any pill, though: they are all free on the NHS. Read are you overpaying for your pill?
Which pill brands have been discontinued?
Some brands you may have taken are no longer made, according to the NHS dictionary of medicines (dm+d). Most have a replacement with the same hormones at the same doses: Feanolla, for example, was desogestrel 75 micrograms, the same as Cerelle, Cerazette and Zelleta.
| Brand | Type | Discontinued |
|---|---|---|
| Ellanite | Combined (ethinylestradiol + drospirenone) | September 2025 |
| Katya 30/75 | Combined (ethinylestradiol + gestodene) | September 2025 |
| Sunya 20/75 | Combined (ethinylestradiol + gestodene) | August 2025 |
| Feanolla | Mini pill (desogestrel) | January 2025 |
| Norinyl-1 | Combined (mestranol + norethisterone) | January 2025 |
| Femodene ED | Combined, everyday pack | July 2024 |
| Aizea | Mini pill (desogestrel) | February 2020 |
| Loestrin 20 and Loestrin 30 | Combined (ethinylestradiol + norethisterone acetate) | September 2019 |
| Cilest | Combined (ethinylestradiol + norgestimate) | August 2019 |
| Micronor | Mini pill (norethisterone) | January 2017 |
| BiNovum and TriNovum | Phasic combined | 2016 |
| Femulen | Mini pill (etynodiol) | April 2013 |
Does it matter which brand you take?
Brands with the same hormones at the same doses work the same way and are taken the same way, so it does not usually matter which of them you get. The inactive ingredients can differ: Lucette's coating and Lovima contain soya, and many pills contain lactose.
Moving to a pill with different hormones or doses is a different matter. It can change side effects and how you take it, so talk it through with a pharmacist first. Read how to switch contraceptive pill.
Are all these pills free on the NHS?
Yes. Any combined pill or mini pill listed in the British National Formulary can be supplied free through the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service, as well as by a GP or sexual health clinic (NHS England PGDs, 2025). Pharmacies are asked to supply good value brands, so you may get a different brand of the same pill.
See what is the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service? or get the pill online.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rigevidon the same as Microgynon?
- Yes. Rigevidon and Microgynon 30 both contain ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and levonorgestrel 150 micrograms and are taken the same way. So do Levest, Ovranette, Maexeni, Ambelina and Elevin.
- Is Cerelle the same as Cerazette?
- Yes. Cerelle, Cerazette and Zelleta all contain desogestrel 75 micrograms, as do Desomono, Desorex, generic desogestrel, Hana and Lovima. They work the same way and have the same 12-hour late window.
- Is Lucette the same as Yasmin?
- Yes. Lucette, Yasmin, Yacella and Dretine all contain ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and drospirenone 3 milligrams. Lucette's tablet coating contains soya, so it is not suitable if you are allergic to soya or peanuts.
- What happened to Feanolla?
- Feanolla was discontinued in January 2025. It contained desogestrel 75 micrograms, the same medicine as Cerelle, Cerazette, Zelleta and generic desogestrel, so a pharmacist can supply one of those instead.
- Can you buy the contraceptive pill over the counter?
- Only two mini pills, Hana and Lovima, can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription, after a chat with the pharmacist, and you pay for them. No combined pill can be bought over the counter. All pills are free on the NHS with a consultation.
- Which pill names are mini pills?
- Cerazette, Cerelle, Zelleta, Desomono, Desorex, Hana and Lovima (all desogestrel), Slynd (drospirenone), Noriday (norethisterone) and Norgeston (levonorgestrel). Mini pills contain no oestrogen.
- Is Dianette a contraceptive pill?
- Dianette (co-cyprindiol) is licensed to treat moderate to severe acne and excess hair growth, and it also works as contraception. It is not supplied through the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service; a GP or dermatologist decides whether it is right for you.
This information is for general guidance only and does not replace advice from a clinician, pharmacist, or doctor. A clinician will review your consultation before any medication is supplied.
References
- Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC). Summaries of Product Characteristics for each brand named.
- NHS Business Services Authority. Dictionary of medicines and devices (dm+d): product and discontinuation records.
- NHS England. PGD for Supply of a Combined Oral Contraceptive. Version 3.0, valid from 29 October 2025.
- NHS England. PGD for Supply of a Progestogen-only Contraceptive Pill. Version 3.0, valid from 29 October 2025.
- MHRA. First progestogen-only contraceptive pills to be available to purchase from pharmacies. July 2021.
- FSRH. Progestogen-only Pills Clinical Guideline, August 2022 (amended April 2026).
- NHS. Combined pill: how to take it.
Get your pill free
Book a free phone consultation with one of our contraception specialist pharmacists. If the pill is suitable for you, it is posted free in discreet packaging.