Ogestrel Uses: An Overview
High-Dose Estrogen Contraceptives
Ogestrel contains a high dose of estrogen (ethinyl estradiol), compared to most other birth control pills that are currently available. Any birth control pill with 50 mcg or more of ethinyl estradiol is considered a high-dose estrogen contraceptive (Ogestrel contains 50 mcg of ethinyl estradiol per tablet). When birth control pills first came out, they had much higher estrogen doses, compared to today's birth control pills. Over the years, new birth control pills have gradually reduced the estrogen dose, because estrogen is responsible for many of the dangerous problems associated with birth control pills, like heart problems, blood clots, and
strokes.
Because the higher dose of estrogen in Ogestrel increases the risk of many serious side effects, you should only take the drug if your healthcare provider thinks that it is the best option for your situation. If you do not have any problems with regular or low-dose birth control pills, you should not take Ogestrel.
Although the new, low-dose birth control pills are effective, they tend to provide less cycle control. This means that there is often more bleeding between periods (breakthrough bleeding) and, sometimes, heavier periods with low-dose pills. The high-dose birth control pills (like Ogestrel) seem to control the growth of the endometrium (the lining of the uterus that is shed with bleeding) more than the low-dose pills, providing for better cycle control.
