Kelnor

What is Kelnor?

Kelnor is a combined birth control pill that’s available in two doses: 1/35 and 1/50. When it comes to birth control medication, Kelnor is quite unique as it doesn’t have many derivatives . There is one particular pill that is the same as Kelnor 1/35, and that’s Zovia 1/35.

Kelnor contains ethynodiol diacetate and ethinyl estradiol. One dose has 1mg and 35mcg respectively, and the other has 1mg and 50mcg. Each pack of Kelnor comes with 28 pills: 21 of which are active; and 7 are inactive. So you take this birth control pill continuously without any breaks, and your period should happen while you’re taking the inactive pills.

The effectiveness rate of pills like Kelnor is over 99%, so if you take it correctly you are very unlikely to become pregnant . And not only does it protect you from pregnancy, but Kelnor can also help make periods lighter and reduce symptoms of PMS.

How does Kelnor work?

The hormones present in Kelnor have three main functions. First, it stops you from ovulating. Blocking the main mechanism that allows you to get pregnant from happening is part of what makes birth control so effective. Secondly, it prevents a build-up of the uterine wall, which makes it very hard for an egg to implant there. And lastly, it makes your cervical fluid thicker so sperm can’t get through. All these factors together make pregnancy much less likely to happen, and as an added bonus it helps make periods lighter.

What doses of Kelnor are there?

Kelnor comes in packs of 28 pills, 21 of which are active, and 7 inactive. It’s monophasic, so there are no hormone fluctuations throughout the month. For 21 days of your cycle you’ll be taking the same dose.

There are two doses of Kelnor available, one has 1mg of ethynodiol diacetate and 35mcg of ethinyl estradiol, and the other has 1mg of ethynodiol diacetate and 50mcg of ethinyl estradiol. Both are equally as effective in preventing pregnancy, but the lower dose can help control some other symptoms such as heavy periods and PMS.

How to take Kelnor

The clinician who prescribes Kelnor to you will give you instructions on how to take it, and it’s important that you follow these. But there are also a few general guidelines you can keep in mind when using the birth control pill:

• Take your pill at the same time every day. This is the most important rule to follow, as the interval between pills should ideally never be more or less than 24 hours. If you take it a little bit later than usual a couple of times, the pill will still work, but it will be more effective if taken correctly. If you’re not used to taking pills and need a little reminder, set an alarm on your phone to ring at the same time every day.
• Kelnor won’t protect you from becoming pregnant as soon as you start using it. It takes about seven days for the hormones to do their job. So for the first week you’re taking Kelnor, you should use a barrier birth control method, such as a condom.
• You don’t need to take the pill with food.

How long does it take Kelnor to work?

It usually takes about seven days for Kelnor to provide optimal levels of protection, so during that period you might become pregnant if you have unprotected sex. When you start taking Kelnor, you should use a barrier contraceptive method for at least a week, just to be safe. If you’re switching from another pill, you’ll normally be covered right away so long as you don’t leave a gap between packs. But to be safe, it’s best to use a barrier contraceptive for the first week after switching anyway, just in case.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Kelnor?

If you’re more than 12 hours late taking your pill, then it’s ‘officially’ a missed pill. Check the leaflet for advice on what to do. If you forget to take your pill you should take it as soon as you remember. This might mean taking two pills on the same day. If you’ve missed more than one, you only need to take the most recent missed one. But if on the other hand you accidentally took more Kelnor than you were supposed to, you shouldn’t be any more or less protected than usual. You may get some uncomfortable side effects though, so it’s best to let a physician know. Vaginal bleeding and nausea are relatively normal, and shouldn’t be a cause for alarm unless these symptoms persist or become serious. The toxicity of Kelnor is low, and there have been no reports of overdose on it . But if you’re worried you should seek medical advice.