7 Birth Control Pill Brands You Need To Know

Seasonale and Seasonique, Jolessa and Quasense, Lybrel, Yaz and Loestrin. Between the squirrely brand names, the different types of regimens and the presence or absence of a placebo (hormone-free) interval, knowing which of these newer birth control pill brands is which can get a bit confusing.

To help you figure out which Pill brand might be the one best suited for your needs here's a brief comparison guide of 7 Pill brands you need to be familiar with.

First, an overview.

Type of pills: All these brands are combination pill brands because they have active pills (the pills containing hormones) in the pack with a combination of two hormones--an estrogen [ethinyl estradiol (EE)] and a progestin [either levonorgestrel (LNG), drospirenone (DRSP), norethindrone acetate (NEA) or desogestrel (D)].

Most of the brands are monophasic--each active pill in the pack has the same amount of hormones. Some brands are biphasic--most active pills contain the same hormone amounts, but a few pills have a different amount of only one hormone, EE.

Regimens: With some brands you take the active pills on a regular monthly regimen, other brands have an extended regimen (84 days), and two brands are continuous-use, meaning you take an active pill every day throughout the year.

Placebo interval: The hormone-free interval ranges from the regular one (7 days), to a shortened one (4 or 2 days), to none.

Second, the brands.

Seasonale, Jolessa, and Quasense
(Extended regimen, regular placebo interval.)

These brands have an 84-day active pill cycle, followed by a regular 7-day placebo interval.

Seasonale (Barr Labs)

One active pill [0.03 mg EE/0.15 mg LNG] for 84 days, followed by 7 days of placebo pills.

Seasonale (via)

Jolessa (Barr Labs)

Same as Seasonale, 84 days of active pills [0.03 mg EE/0.15 mg LNG] followed by 7 days of placebo pills.

Jolessa (via)

Quasense (Watson)

Same as Seasonale, 84 days of active pills [0.03 mg EE/0.15 mg LNG] followed by 7 days of placebo pills.

Quasense (via)

TIP #1

Both Jolessa and Quasense are the generics for Seasonale.

Seasonique and Lybrel
(Continuous regimen, no placebo interval.)

These brands have a continuous active pill cycle; one active pill each day of the year. There's no placebo interval.

Seasonique (Barr Labs)

One active pill [0.03 mg EE/0.15 mg LNG] for 84 days, followed by another active pill [0.01 mg EE] for 7 days.

TIP #2

Addition of low-dose EE during the placebo interval provides greater egg development suppression in the ovary.

Seasonique (via)

Lybrel (Wyeth)

One active pill [0.02 mg EE/0.09 mg LNG] taken daily with no placebo interval.

Lybrel (via)

TIP #3

Seasonique and Seasonale may sound alike, but they're not. Note that only Seasonique and Lybrel do away with the placebo pills. And just so we're clear, despite the media hysteria surrounding Lybrel's recent FDA approval, Seasonique was the first approved Pill brand to completely eliminate the placebo interval, not Lybrel.

Yaz and Loestrin 24 Fe
(Monthly regimen, shortened placebo interval.)

These brands have a 24-day active pill cycle, followed by a shortened 4-day placebo interval.

Yaz (Bayer)

One active pill [0.02 mg EE/3 mg DRSP] for 24 days, followed by 4 days of placebo pills.

Yaz (via)

Loestrin 24 Fe (Warner Chilcott)

One active pill [0.02 mg EE/1 mg NEA] for 24 days, followed by 4 days of iron-containing placebo pills.

Loestrin 24 Fe (via)

And as a bonus, two more shortened placebo interval brands you should be familiar with:

Kariva (Barr Labs)

One active pill [0.02 mg EE/0.15 mg D] for 21 days, a placebo pill for 2 days, followed by another active pill [0.01 mg EE] for 5 days.

Kariva (via)

Mircette (Organon/Barr Labs)

Same as Kariva, one active pill [0.02 mg EE/0.15 mg D] for 21 days, then 2 days of placebo, followed by another active pill [0.01 mg EE] for 5 days.

Mircette (via)

TIP #4

Kariva is the generic for Mircette.

Bottom line: If you're familiar with the characteristic features of these newer brands you can better judge which type of Pill will suit you. Use this guide as a starting point when you discuss Pill option with your Ob/Gyn.