Progesterone-Only Pills

Norethindrone (Nor-QD)

Progesterone-only pills (POPs), also known as mini-pills, are not used widely in the United States. Less than 1% of users of oral contraceptives use them as their only method of birth control. Those who use them include women who are breastfeeding and women who cannot take estrogen.

• Use: POPs are ingested once daily, every day. POPs may be started on any day, and there are no pill-free days or different-colored pills to track. Since progesterone is the only hormonal ingredient, estrogen-related side effects are avoided. However, since POPs do not include estrogen, they have a higher failure rate. Users must take this pill at the same time daily for greatest effectiveness.