Microgynon vs Rigevidon: What's the Difference?

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

This guide explains why pharmacies switch between them, what is actually different, and when it might matter.

Why have I been switched from Microgynon to Rigevidon?

It usually comes down to cost and stock. Under the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service, pharmacies are expected to supply the best value product that still meets your clinical need.

Microgynon 30 and Rigevidon contain the same two hormones at the same strengths, so most pharmacies supply whichever is most cost effective at the time. The NHS England patient group direction for the combined pill lists both, alongside other equivalent brands.

If there is a genuine clinical reason for you to have a particular brand, such as an intolerance to one of its inactive ingredients, tell your pharmacist so your supply can stay consistent.

Are Microgynon and Rigevidon really the same?

Yes, in every way that matters for contraception. Both contain levonorgestrel 150 micrograms and ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms. Both are taken once a day for 21 days, followed by a 7 day break, and both follow the same missed pill rules.

Both also carry the same blood clot risk: around 5 to 7 in every 10,000 users a year, which places levonorgestrel pills among the combined pills with the lowest risk (FSRH). Read more in our guide to the pill and blood clots.

Switching from Microgynon to Rigevidon does not mean you have moved to a weaker pill, a lower dose or a different type of contraceptive.

For each pill on its own, read our Microgynon guide and Rigevidon guide.

What is actually different?

The differences are in the inactive ingredients and in how the tablets look.

Microgynon 30 is a beige, sugar-coated tablet made by Bayer. Rigevidon is a white, round, coated tablet made by Gedeon Richter. Both contain lactose and sucrose in slightly different amounts, and Microgynon's coating also contains yellow iron oxide, which gives it its colour. None of these change how the medicine works or how your body absorbs it. You can compare the full ingredient lists in the Microgynon 30 SPC and Rigevidon SPC.

The box and blister strip look different too. That is often what prompts the worry that the pill has changed. In this case, it has not.

Will my side effects change if I switch?

They should not. The hormones and doses are identical, so there is no pharmacological reason to expect a change in side effects when you switch between Microgynon 30 and Rigevidon.

The two patient leaflets are written differently and list side effects in different detail, but they describe the same medicine. Both list nausea, stomach pain, mood changes, breast pain and changes in weight among the common side effects. See our guide to pill side effects for what to expect and when to seek help.

If you notice a real and persistent change after switching, it is reasonable to ask for a review. Your pharmacist can check whether something else could explain it, or whether a sensitivity to one of the inactive ingredients needs to be considered.

What about Microgynon 30 ED?

Microgynon 30 ED contains the same 21 active tablets as Microgynon 30, plus 7 inactive tablets, so you take a tablet every day without a break. Some people find this easier to remember. Rigevidon is only available as 21 active tablets, so you take a 7 day break between packs. Both are listed for supply in the NHS combined pill patient group direction.

Which other pills are the same as Microgynon and Rigevidon?

The NHS England patient group direction for the combined pill lists seven brands of levonorgestrel 150 micrograms with ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms. They are all the same medicine. The differences between them are the manufacturer, the packaging and some inactive ingredients.

You may receive any of these depending on what your pharmacy stocks. With Contraception Direct, your pharmacist will let you know which brand you are being sent. Read our Levest guide for another of the equivalent brands.

Can I ask for Microgynon specifically?

You can raise it, but there is not usually a clinical reason to insist on one brand over another. Because the medicine is the same, your pharmacy can supply whichever equivalent brand it has available.

If there is a documented reason for you to have a specific brand, such as a reaction to an ingredient in one of them, your pharmacist can take it into account and note it so future supplies stay consistent.

Which combined pills are actually different?

All the brands above contain levonorgestrel. Other combined pills use a different progestogen: drospirenone (Yasmin, Lucette), desogestrel (Gedarel, Marvelon), gestodene (Femodene, Millinette), norgestimate (Cilique, Lizinna) or norethisterone (Norimin, Brevinor). These are genuinely different pills, and those containing drospirenone, desogestrel or gestodene carry a slightly higher blood clot risk than levonorgestrel pills.

If you are comparing the drospirenone brands, read Yasmin vs Lucette. If levonorgestrel is not the right fit for you, your pharmacist can discuss the alternatives during your phone consultation, or you can 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.