Levora

What is Levora?

The Levora pill is a combined contraceptive pill. It has two hormones in it: a progesterone and an estrogen.

So how do these hormones work? Well, pretty much by tricking your body into thinking you already ovulated. Without ovulation, there’s no egg to fertilize. Even if an egg does sneak out, these hormones also make cervical mucus thicker so sperm can’t find a way through to them.

Bonus: these hormones also stop the lining of the womb from getting thick. This means a fertilized egg can’t implant as easily, and that your periods are probably going to be lighter.

How effective is the Levora pill?

Very. It’s one of the most effective ways of protecting against pregnancy and it’s completely reversible. As long as you take it correctly (every day at the same time), your chances of getting pregnant are minimal.

If you make the odd mistake, like missing a pill, the chances of you getting pregnant rise a bit to around 9% over a whole year.

If you miss more than one pill in a pack (two days in a row for example) your protection is lowered and you’ll need to use condoms for a week. So it’s always a good idea to take it as close to perfectly as you can.

Is Levora safe?

Yes. It’s in the safest category of combined pills.

All contraceptive pills go through rigorous testing to make sure they’re safe before they go anywhere near consumers. But there are some pills that carry a slightly higher risk of causing a blood clot than others.

Levora is among the contraceptive pills with the lowest risks.

Does Levora come in a low dose?

Not exactly. There are lower dose alternatives, but they’ll be called something else. Levora 150/30 (so that’s 150 micrograms levonorgestrel and 30 micrograms ethinyl estradiol) is the only dose of Levora pill there is at the moment.

You can get a pill called Logynon. It’s almost the same as Levora but with a lower dose given in phases. There’s another pill called Isibloom that is slightly different but has a lower estrogen dose. So if you take Levora and you feel like it might be giving you side effects, there are alternatives.

How should I take Levora?

Take one Levora tablet each day, for 28 days (there’s a little set of arrows on the pack to help you keep track of the days). It’s best to take it at the same time each day, so you might want to set a reminder or include taking your Levora pill in your bedtime or morning routine.

When can I start taking Levora?

If you’re not already using hormonal birth control, you can start Levora any time. You’ll be protected against pregnancy immediately if you take it on the first day of your period. If you start on another day, you should use condoms for the first week of taking it while the pill takes effect.

Switching from another pill to Levora? You can start taking Levora the day after the last pill in your previous pill pack.

When starting Levora pills after pregnancy and giving birth, it’s best to check with your OB/GYN or midwife first. Levora isn’t safe for use during breastfeeding.

What happens if I miss a Levora pill?

It increases the chances of you getting pregnant. You should take the pill at the same time each day. If you’re more than 12 hours late taking Levora, it counts as a missed pill.

Your protection might be reduced if you miss one or more pills, so you should use a barrier contraceptive (like a condom) for a week and refer to the package insert for more info on what to do next. If your missed pill happens when there’s fewer than seven pills in the pack, you should skip the seven inactive pills and start the next pack immediately.

What if I want to conceive?

If you want to try for a baby, you can stop taking Levora any time. It’s recommended that you wait until you’ve had at least one normal menstrual cycle after stopping before trying to conceive. Remember that it’s a good idea to start taking folic acid before you start trying to conceive.