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New search Medicine profile Norethisterone contraceptive

Clinical medicine profile

Norethisterone contraceptive

Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)

POM
Evidence state General guidance Reviewed 14 Aug 2026
Route
See product SmPC
Schedule
POM
ATC
Not assigned
PPB status
registered
Patient advice Check interactions
Verification required

This profile needs source confirmation

Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.

01 Risk first

Safety essentials

The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
  • Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.

Precautions

  • hepatic / renal / cardio-vascu-lar history of mental depression
  • diabetes mellitus
  • Contraindications: Thrombo-embolic disorders
  • un-diagnosed vaginal bleeding.
02 Point of care

Dosing matrix

Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.

Adult

200mg deep 1.M every 8 weeks for 24 weeks then every 12 weeks.

Paediatric

See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.

Renal

Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.

  • CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Hepatic

Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.

03 Clinical use

Use, effects & interactions

Indications

  • Endometriosis, postponement of men-struation, pre-menstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhoea and menorrhagia.
  • Norethisterone enanthate is used as a contraceptive Clinical selection for Norethisterone contraceptive should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
  • Class context: Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class).
  • Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.

Adverse effects

  • Hypersensitivity reactions
  • changes in libido
  • GI disturbances
  • weight gain
  • break-through bleeding
  • breast changes
  • mental depression
  • and fluid retention.
  • Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
  • Document allergy status and key interactions.
04 Pharmacology

Mechanism & disposition

A testosterone derivative progesto-gen with some androgenic activities Mechanism is agent-specific.

A testosterone derivative progesto-gen wit…At receptor, enzyme, ion channel, transpor…Confirm precise molecular mechanism in cur…
Read complete mechanism

A testosterone derivative progesto-gen with some androgenic activities Mechanism is agent-specific. At receptor, enzyme, ion channel, transporter or microbial target level, the drug alters a physiological or pathological pathway to produce its therapeutic effect. Confirm precise molecular mechanism in current SmPC / pharmacology reference for this INN before high-stakes decisions.

Onset

Product-specific

Duration

Product-specific

Route

See product SmPC

Elimination

are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT

Half-life

when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.

05 Special populations

Pregnancy, lactation & diet

Pregnancy

Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.

Lactation

Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.

06 Kenya market

Brands & loaded prices

From
Median
Listings0
BrandManufacturerPackObserved price
No reviewed brand listings are linked yet.
07 Provenance

Sources & review state

Primary sourceLocal active-ingredient clinical extract; Professional class pharmacology (Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class))
Last reviewed14 Aug 2026
EvidenceGeneral guidance

Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.