Gedarel: What You Need to Know

Reviewed by Usama Ali, MPharm (GPhC: 2224726). Last reviewed: October 2026.

What is Gedarel?

Gedarel is a combined contraceptive pill containing two hormones: ethinylestradiol, a form of oestrogen, and desogestrel, a progestogen. It is made by Gedeon Richter and comes in two strengths, Gedarel 30/150 and Gedarel 20/150 (EMC SmPC).

Like other combined pills, it works mainly by stopping your ovaries releasing an egg each month. It also thickens the mucus at the cervix and thins the womb lining. Taken correctly it is more than 99% effective, and around 91% with typical use, when pills are sometimes missed or taken late (NHS). For the wider picture, read our guide to the combined pill.

What is the difference between Gedarel 20/150 and 30/150?

Gedarel 20/150 and Gedarel 30/150 differ only in their oestrogen dose. The first number is the micrograms of ethinylestradiol in each tablet and the second is the micrograms of desogestrel. Both strengths are taken the same way and have the same missed pill rules (EMC SmPC, Gedarel 20/150).

Both strengths list the same side effects at the same frequencies in their product information. Which one you are offered depends on your history and on what you have taken before, so your pharmacist will go through this with you rather than you choosing on dose alone.

Is Gedarel the same as Marvelon and Mercilon?

Gedarel is the same medicine as Marvelon and Mercilon at matching strengths. Gedarel 30/150 has the same hormones and doses as Marvelon, and Gedarel 20/150 matches Mercilon. Our guide to contraceptive pill names groups every UK brand this way.

"If your box changes from Marvelon to Gedarel, the hormones and doses inside are the same," says Usama Ali, MPharm (GPhC: 2224726), pharmacist at Contraception Direct. "What matters is that the strength matches. If the numbers on the pack are different from what you had before, ask your pharmacist."

How do you take Gedarel?

You take one Gedarel tablet a day for 21 days, then have a 7 day break with no tablets. A withdrawal bleed usually starts 2 to 3 days after the last tablet (EMC SmPC). Start the next pack after 7 days, even if you are still bleeding.

If you start on day 1 of your period, you are protected straight away. The product information also allows a start on days 2 to 5, with condoms for the first 7 days. Starting at other times, or switching from another method, has its own rules, and your pharmacist will tell you exactly when to start.

What if you miss or are late with a Gedarel pill?

If you are less than 12 hours late with a Gedarel pill, the leaflet says protection is not reduced. Take the late pill as soon as you remember, even if that means two in one day, and carry on as normal (EMC patient leaflet).

More than 12 hours late, protection may be reduced. Take the last missed pill, use condoms for the next 7 days and follow the leaflet's advice for that week of the pack. National FSRH guidance on missed combined pills is set out differently, so if you are unsure, use our missed pill tool or ask a pharmacist. Being sick within 3 to 4 hours of a pill counts as missing it.

What are the side effects of Gedarel?

Irregular bleeding is the only side effect listed as very common for Gedarel, meaning more than 1 in 10 users, and it is most likely in the first months (EMC SmPC). Changes in bleeding are usually only assessed after about three cycles. The table groups the listed effects by how often they are reported.

If side effects carry on past about three months, speak to a pharmacist rather than stopping on your own. Another combined pill or a mini pill may suit you better. Our guide to side effects of the pill covers what is normal early on.

What is the blood clot risk with Gedarel?

Gedarel carries a slightly higher blood clot risk than levonorgestrel combined pills. About 9 to 12 in every 10,000 people using a desogestrel combined pill develop a clot in a vein each year, compared with about 5 to 7 for levonorgestrel pills such as Microgynon and about 2 for people not using hormonal contraception (FSRH, 2023).

The overall risk is still low, and your pharmacist checks your personal risk factors first. Get urgent help, by calling 999 or going to A&E, if you have painful swelling in one leg, sudden chest pain or breathlessness, a severe or unusual headache, sudden changes in your vision, or weakness on one side. Read more in the pill and blood clots.

Who can take Gedarel?

Gedarel can be supplied to people aged 16 to 49 through the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service if the pharmacist finds it suitable. A recent blood pressure reading is needed for any combined pill, and the pharmacist asks about your health, medicines, smoking and family history (NHS England PCS specification).

It is not suitable if you have had a blood clot, have migraine with aura, have severe high blood pressure, have certain liver conditions, or take some hepatitis C medicines (EMC SmPC). If a combined pill is not right for you, the pharmacist will explain why and suggest another option, such as the mini pill, or a GP or sexual health clinic. The pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections.

How do you get Gedarel free?

Gedarel is free on the NHS from your GP, a sexual health clinic or a pharmacy offering the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. With Contraception Direct, you book a free phone consultation, your pharmacist checks your suitability, and if a combined pill suits you it is posted in plain packaging, usually arriving within 1 to 3 working days.

The brand you receive can depend on stock, but the strength will match what the pharmacist agrees with you. Not sure which pill to ask for? Read which contraceptive pill is right for me.

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.