Femodette is a type of combined oral contraceptive pill used to prevent pregnancy. It is commonly known as ‘the pill’ and contains the lab made forms of two natural hormones in the body. These hormones are known as oestrogen (20mcg ethinylestradiol) and progesterone (75mcg gestodene).

Femodette comes in packs of 21 pills. You should take 1 pill daily for 21 days, then have a 7 day pill free break, when you take no pills. It is a low dose pill, so it contains less oestrogen compared to some other combined oral contraceptive pills.

While Femodette is mainly used as a contraceptive pill, some women take it to help make their periods lighter and less painful.

Is Femodette the same as Femodene?

Both Femodette and Femodene are similar but not exactly the same. They contain the same hormones but in different doses. Femodette contains a lower oestrogen dose compared to Femodene.

You can order Femodette online from Superdrug Online Doctor even if you have never used the pill before.

• Begin your order by filling in our brief online medical form
• Our doctors will review your form to make sure it is safe for you to take the pill
• Once your order is approved, we will send Femodette to your address or you can choose to pick it up from your local Superdrug store
• Our service at Superdrug Online Doctor is confidential and convenient. We will post your medicine in discreet and unmarked packaging

Can you get Femodette over the counter?

No. Femodette is a prescription-only medication, so you need a doctor to prescribe the pill for you. You can get a prescription for Femodette online at Superdrug Online Doctor, after completing a short online medical form.

Can you get Femodette on the NHS?

Some NHS sexual health and local GP clinics may offer Femodette depending on their local contraception guidelines. To get Femodette from these clinics, you will need to first book a face to face appointment to discuss your contraceptive options.

Femodette is generally a safe contraceptive option for women who want to prevent pregnancy. It is similarly safe as other similar combined contraceptive pills.

If your doctor prescribes Femodette for you, it means it is a suitable contraceptive option for you.

Femodette regulates your monthly hormone cycle to protect you from pregnancy. It does this by:

• stopping you from ovulating (prevently your ovaries from releasing an egg each month)
• making the mucus in your cervix thicker so it becomes harder for sperm to travel up into the womb
• thinning the lining of your womb so that if an egg becomes fertilized, it will be difficult to implant itself in the womb

How long does Femodette take to work?

You should start taking Femodette on day 1 of your cycle (the first day of your period) and you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start the pill at any other time in your monthly cycle, you will need to also use extra contraception (like condoms) for the first 7 days, to prevent pregnancy.

How effective is Femodette?

Femodette is up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when used as prescribed by your doctor. This number may be reduced if women:

• have diarrhoea or be sick (vomit) after taking the pill
• miss pills
• take medications that make Femodette less effective

Femodette can come as Femodette or Femodette ED. Femodette and Femodette ED contain the same hormones, but the “ED” version (which stands for “every day”) is taken differently. Both pills work in the same way to prevent pregnancy.

Femodette strips contain 21 pills, while Femodette ED comes as strips of 28 pills (with 7 extra inactive/placebo pills). Both pill types are taken in different ways.

Femodette: Each strip of Femodette has 21 pills which are marked with the day you should take it.

• Swallow each Femodette pill whole with water preferably at the same time every day
• Take one pill each day for 21 days then no pills for the following 7 days. You should get a withdrawal bleed like your monthly period during the 7 day break
• Start a new strip of 21 pills after the 7 day break. Start each new strip on the same day each time
• During the 7 day pill break, you will still be protected from pregnancy as long as you have taken the previous 21 pills every day as prescribed

Femodette ED: Each Femodette ED strip contains 28 pills (21 active pills and 7 inactive/dummy pills), marked with the day of the week you should take them on.

• Swallow each pill whole with water, at the same time each day
• Take each of the 28 pills every day then start another strip of 28 pills the day after the previous strip ends
• During the last 7 days of the 28 pill days, you will be taking the inactive/dummy pills. You should have a withdrawal bleed during these 7 days, similar to your monthly period

When should I start taking Femodette?

You can start taking Femodette on any day of your monthly cycle, but you may not be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start Femodette between day 1 to 5 of your cycle, it will start working straight away and you will not need extra contraception to prevent pregnancy.

If you start Femodette on any other day of your cycle, you will require extra contraception such as condoms for the first 7 days to prevent pregnancy.

Can I take Femodette without a break?

Yes. You may choose to take Femodette every day without the 7 day break. This would mean starting the next strip of 21 pills the day after you finish the previous strip of pills.

Some women choose to take the pill this way to delay their monthly period, and reduce the risk of developing side effects.

What happens if you miss a Femodette pill?

You should avoid missing the pill as this could make it less effective at protecting you from pregnancy.

• If you start your next strip a day late or miss a pill, take it as soon as you remember, even if you have to take 2 pills in one day. You will still be protected from pregnancy and will not require emergency contraception if you have unprotected sex
• If you miss a pill and your strip ends in the next 6 days, take the missed pill and continue your strip as normal till the end, then skip the 7 day break. You should start the next strip the day after your previous strip finishes
• If you have missed more than 2 pills, you may no longer be protected from pregnancy. Continue taking your pills as usual but avoid unprotected sex for the next 7 days. If you do have unprotected sex, you will need to get emergency contraception with 5 days to prevent pregnancy

Can I use Femodette as emergency contraception?

If you are not on the pill and have had unprotected sex, you should not start the pill to prevent pregnancy. You will need to use emergency contraception (morning after pill or copper coil) within 5 days of having unprotected sex.

Some women taking Femodette may have side effects, but they should improve after the first 3 months. If you are unhappy with the side effects or they do not get better after 3 months, speak to your doctor for advice.

Some common side effects of Femodette may include:

• feeling sick
• headaches
• changes in mood
• breast pain
• weight changes
• stomach pain

Some uncommon/rare side effects of Femodette may include:

• changes in interest in sex
• migraine
• itchy skin
• vaginal discharge
• breast discharge
• Fluid retention
• change in breast size

You can find the full list of all known Femodette side effects and cautions in the patient information leaflet supplied with your pill pack.

What should I do if I have side effects from taking Femodette?

The side effects of Femodette may develop as your body adjusts to the hormone changes of taking the pill. Most of the side effects should improve or disappear after the first 3 months.

Speak to your doctor for advice if the side effects become unbearable or do not improve after the first 3 months of taking the pill. They may suggest you change to another pill or type of contraceptive.

Femodette or similar combined oral contraceptive pills may not be suitable for some women who have certain risk factors. Your doctor may suggest you try the mini pill instead, or a different form of contraception if the combined pill is not safe for you.

Femodette may not be suitable for you if you have certain medical conditions. Taking Femodette may also worsen your symptoms if you have certain conditions.

Tell your doctor before starting Femodette if any of the following apply to you:

• You smoke
• You are taking medication for epilepsy
• Diabetes
• You have ever had a blood clot in your legs or your lungs
• Blood clotting disorders or a family history of blood clotting disorders
• High blood pressure or family history of heart disease
• Depression
• Sickle cell anaemia
• Obesity
• Problems with your kidney or liver
• Gallstones
• High blood cholesterol levels in your blood
• Stroke or family history of stroke
• You have recently had a baby or you are breastfeeding
• Heart attack
• Crohn’s disease, IBS or ulcerative colitis
• Breast or cervical cancer
• Migraine with aura
• Recent surgery
• Pruritus (persistent itching)

You may be at risk of developing certain conditions when taking Femodette:

• Blood clots: Your risk of developing a blood clot when taking Femodette is very small. The risk becomes higher if you have risk factors like obesity, diabetes or high blood pressure. Seek immediate emergency medical attention if you have symptoms of a blood clot like difficulty breathing, tightness or pain in your chest, swelling, redness or pain in your leg.
• Cervical cancer: The most important risk factor for cervical cancer is HPV infection, but the risk of developing cervical cancer may increase in women who also take the pill. All women between age 25 and 64 in the UK should regularly have cervical smears to check for any abnormalities in the cervix.
• Bleeding or spotting between periods: You may have some light bleeding or spotting between periods when you start the pill. This should improve after the first 3 months of taking the pill. If it doesn’t stop or is very heavy, speak to your doctor for advice.
• Breast cancer: There is a slightly increased relative risk of breast cancer from taking the combined oral contraceptive pill. Speak to your doctor for advice if you notice any changes in your breasts such as a breast lump, nipple discharge or any changes in your nipple.

Drug interactions with Femodette Taking certain medications may reduce the effectiveness of Femodette. These include medicines used to treat:

• hepatitis C
• bacteria infections
• fungal infections
• HIV
• epilepsy

Tell your doctor about all medicines you have or are currently taking before you start the pill, including over the counter medicines. You can find the full list of all known drug interactions with Femodette in the patient information leaflet supplied with your pill pack.

Does Femodette make your breasts grow?

Some women may have changes in breast size after starting the pill because of the oestrogen hormones in the pill. The changes are usually within the first few months of starting the pill. If you have any concerns about recent changes in your breasts, speak to your doctor for advice.

Does Femodette increase your risk of blood clots?

Your risk of developing blood clots is small when taking the pill. The risk is higher for people with risk factors like smoking, being overweight, high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of blood clots, therefore this pill is not suitable for those people.

Does the Femodette pill help acne?

Femodette and similar combined oral contraceptive pills are also sometimes used to help treat acne.

Can Femodette make you depressed?

There are no current studies directly explaining a link between the pill and depressive symptoms, although some women have reported experiencing this side effect on the pill. If you develop symptoms of depression or are having suicidal thoughts, seek medical attention straight away.

Can Femodette cause changes to your weight?

Some women have haved changes in their weight after starting the pill, although not everyone will have this side effect. Speak to your doctor for advice if you are concerned about any recent weight changes.

Does the Femodette pill stop periods?

It can do. If you take Femodette everyday without the 7 day break, it will stop your monthly periods. This would mean you start each new 21 pills strip the day after the previous one ends without taking any breaks.

Can Femodette cause mood swings?

Mood changes can be a side effect of taking the pill but not everyone will have it. If you have low mood after starting the pill and it does not improve after the first 3 months, or if you are worried at any time, speak to your doctor for advice.

Can Femodette give you low libido?

There have been a few reports of low sexual interest when taking the pill. If this side effect does not improve after the first 3 months of taking the pill, or it is affecting your quality of life, speak to your doctor for advice.

Can I drink while taking Femodette?

Yes. Drinking alcohol should not affect the effectiveness of Femodette. You should aim to stay within the UK recommended alcohol drinking limits.

Can I take painkillers when taking Femodette?

Yes, you can take over the counter painkillers like paracetamol when taking the pill. If you need to take stronger painkillers or in general, any other medicine, speak to your doctor for advice first.

Can I take Femodette when I’m breastfeeding?

Your doctor will be able to advise you on suitable contraceptive options if you are a breastfeeding mother.

Femodette has some reviews by users on some popular platforms. 

• 2.5/5 stars on Theldown