Kelnor 1/35 (Oral)

Ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate combination is used to prevent pregnancy. It is a birth control pill that contains two hormones, ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate, and when taken correctly, prevents pregnancy. It works by stopping a woman's egg from fully developing each month. The egg cannot accept sperm, and fertilization (pregnancy) is prevented.

No contraceptive method is 100 percent effective. Birth control methods like having surgery to become sterile or not having sex are more effective than birth control pills. Talk to your doctor about your options for birth control.

This medicine does not prevent HIV infection or other sexually transmitted diseases. It will not work as emergency contraception, such as after unprotected sex.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

It is very important for your doctor to monitor your progress during regular visits to ensure that this medicine is effective and does not cause unwanted side effects. Your doctor may also want to check your blood pressure while you are taking this medicine.

Even though you are using this medicine to prevent pregnancy, you should know that taking this medicine while you are pregnant could harm your unborn baby. If you think you might be pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor immediately. Make sure your doctor knows if you have given birth within 4 weeks before starting this medicine.

If you think you may be pregnant, stop using this medicine and consult your doctor right away. There is a higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy if you become pregnant while taking this medicine. An ectopic pregnancy can be serious and life-threatening and may cause problems that could affect your ability to get pregnant in the future.

Do not use this medicine with any medication to treat hepatitis C virus infection, including ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir (Technivie®, Viekira Pak®).

This medicine will not protect you from HIV/AIDS, herpes, or other sexually transmitted diseases. Inform your doctor if you or your partner start having sexual relations with other people, or if either of you tests positive for a sexually transmitted disease. If this is a concern, speak with your doctor.

You might experience light bleeding or spotting when you first start using this medicine. This is usually normal and should not last long. However, if you have heavy bleeding or if the bleeding lasts more than a few days in a row, contact your doctor.

Do not use this medicine if you smoke cigarettes or if you are over 35 years old. Smoking while taking ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel combination increases your risk of blood clots, heart attack, or stroke. The risk is even higher if you are over 35, have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or are overweight. Discuss ways to quit smoking with your doctor. Keep your diabetes under control. Ask your doctor about diet and exercise to manage your weight and cholesterol levels.

Using this medicine may raise your risk of blood clotting issues. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience chest pain, groin pain, leg pain (especially in the calves), breathing difficulties, a sudden severe headache, slurred speech, sudden shortness of breath, sudden loss of coordination, or vision changes while using this medicine.

This medicine may increase your risk of breast or reproductive organ cancers (such as endometrial, ovarian, or cervical cancer). Discuss this risk with your doctor. Contact your doctor right away if you have abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Contact your doctor immediately if you have stomach pain or tenderness, dark urine, pale stools, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellowing of the eyes or skin. These may be symptoms of a serious liver issue.

Contact your doctor right away if you experience blurred vision, difficulty reading, or any other changes in vision during or after treatment. Your doctor may refer you to an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) for an eye examination.

This medicine may increase your risk of gallbladder disease. Consult your doctor if you begin to experience stomach pains, nausea, or vomiting.

Make sure any doctor or dentist treating you knows you are using this medicine. The results of some medical tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless you have discussed them with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking it must be compared to the benefits it will provide. This is a decision you and your doctor will make together. For this medicine, consider the following:

Allergies

Inform your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, check the label or package ingredients closely.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies on how ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate combination affects children have not been done. However, there are no expected pediatric-specific problems that would limit the use of this medication in teenagers. This medicine may be used for birth control in teenage females but should not be used before menstruation begins.

Geriatric

No information is available on how ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate combination affects older patients.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women to determine the risk to infants when using this medication while breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Some medicines should not be used together at all, while in other cases, two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might happen. In these situations, your doctor may want to adjust the dose, or other precautions may be needed. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare provider knows if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected based on their potential importance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Dasabuvir
• Ombitasvir
• Paritaprevir
• Ritonavir
• Tranexamic Acid

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or frequency of use for one or both of the medicines.

• Amifampridine
• Amobarbital
• Amoxicillin
• Ampicillin
• Amprenavir
• Anagrelide
• Apalutamide
• Aprepitant
• Armodafinil
• Artemether
• Bacampicillin
• Belzutifan
• Betamethasone
• Bexarotene
• Boceprevir
• Bosentan
• Bupropion
• Butabarbital
• Butalbital
• Carbamazepine
• Carbenicillin
• Cefaclor
• Cefadroxil
• Cefdinir
• Cefditoren
• Cefixime
• Cefpodoxime
• Cefprozil
• Ceftazidime
• Ceftibuten
• Cefuroxime
• Cenobamate
• Ceritinib
• Clobazam
• Cloxacillin
• Cobicistat
• Colesevelam
• Cyclacillin
• Cyclosporine
• Dabrafenib
• Darunavir
• Dexamethasone
• Dicloxacillin
• Dipyrone
• Donepezil
• Doxycycline
• Efavirenz
• Elagolix
• Elvitegravir
• Encorafenib
• Enzalutamide
• Eslicarbazepine Acetate
• Etravirine
• Felbamate
• Fosamprenavir
• Fosaprepitant
• Fosphenytoin
• Fostemsavir
• Glecaprevir
• Grazoprevir
• Griseofulvin
• Guar Gum
• Indinavir
• Iron
• Isotretinoin
• Ivosidenib
• Lesinurad
• Lixisenatide
• Lopinavir
• Lorlatinib
• Lumacaftor
• Mavacamten
• Mephobarbital
• Meropenem
• Methohexital
• Minocycline
• Mitapivat
• Mitotane
• Mobocertinib
• Modafinil
• Mycophenolate Mofetil
• Mycophenolic Acid
• Nafcillin
• Nelfinavir
• Nevirapine
• Nirmatrelvir
• Octreotide
• Oxacillin
• Oxcarbazepine
• Oxytetracycline
• Paclitaxel
• Paclitaxel Protein-Bound
• Penicillin G
• Penicillin G Procaine
• Penicillin V
• Pentobarbital
• Phenobarbital
• Phenylbutazone
• Phenytoin
• Pibrentasvir
• Piperaquine
• Pitolisant
• Prednisolone
• Prednisone
• Primidone
• Red Clover
• Rifabutin
• Rifampin
• Rifapentine
• Rilpivirine
• Ritonavir
• Rufinamide
• Saquinavir
• Secobarbital
• Simeprevir
• Somatrogon-ghla
• St John's Wort
• Sugammadex
• Sultamicillin
• Tazemetostat
• Telaprevir
• Telotristat Ethyl
• Tetracycline
• Theophylline
• Thiopental
• Thioridazine
• Ticarcillin
• Tigecycline
• Tirzepatide
• Tizanidine
• Topiramate
• Troglitazone
• Ulipristal
• Valproic Acid
• Voxilaprevir

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may increase the risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or frequency of use for one or both of the medicines.

• Amitriptyline
• Atazanavir
• Atorvastatin
• Clomipramine
• Diazepam
• Doxepin
• Etoricoxib
• Ginseng
• Imipramine
• Lamotrigine
• Levothyroxine
• Licorice
• Liothyronine
• Lorazepam
• Parecoxib
• Roflumilast
• Selegiline
• Temazepam
• Tipranavir
• Triazolam
• Troleandomycin
• Valdecoxib
• Voriconazole
• Warfarin

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around mealtime or with certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions. The following interactions have been selected based on their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following may increase the risk of certain side effects, but this may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or frequency of this medicine, or provide special instructions regarding food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• Caffeine

Other Medical Problems

Other medical issues may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure to inform your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Abnormal or unusual vaginal bleeding or
• Blood clots (e.g., deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism), or history of or
• Breast cancer, known or suspected, or history of or
• Cervical cancer, known or suspected, or history of or
• Endometrial cancer, known or suspected, or history of or
• Heart attack, history of or
• Heart or blood vessel disease (e.g., coronary artery disease), or history of or
• Jaundice during pregnancy or from previous hormonal therapy or
• Liver disease, including tumors or cancer or
• Ovarian cancer, known or suspected, or history of or
• Stroke, history of or
• Tumors (estrogen-dependent), known or suspected—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

• Depression, history of or
• Diabetes or
• Gallbladder disease, history of or
• Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol or fats in the blood) or
• Kidney disease or
• Migraine headache or
• Seizures, history of or
• Tuberculosis (TB) infection—May worsen these conditions.

• Diarrhea or
• Vomiting—May reduce the absorption of ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate combination in the body.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. While not all of these side effects may happen, if they do, they might need medical attention.

Check with your doctor right away if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

• Absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods
• anxiety
• bloody stools
• blurred vision
• breast tenderness, enlargement, discharge
• changes in skin color, pain, tenderness, or swelling of the foot or leg
• chest pain or discomfort
• chills
• clay-colored stools
• confusion
• cough
• dark or cloudy urine
• decrease in urine output or decrease in urine-concentrating ability
• diarrhea
• difficulty in speaking
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• double vision
• fainting
• fast heartbeat
• fever
• headache, severe and throbbing
• inability to move the arms, legs, or facial muscles
• inability to speak
• itching of the vagina or outside the genitals
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• nervousness
• pain during sexual intercourse
• pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back or neck
• pounding in the ears
• slow or fast heartbeat
• slow speech
• stomach pain and tenderness
• stopping of menstrual bleeding
• sweating
• swelling
• swelling, pain, or tenderness in the upper abdominal area
• tenderness, pain, swelling, warmth, skin discoloration, and prominent superficial veins over the affected area
• thick, white curd-like vaginal discharge without odor or with mild odor
• troubled breathing
• unpleasant breath odor
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting
• vomiting of blood
• yellow eyes or skin

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Your health care professional might also be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome, or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

• Acne
• changes in appetite
• changes in weight
• decreased interest in sexual intercourse
• decreased milk production
• light vaginal bleeding between regular menstrual periods
• loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
• mental depression
• patchy brown or dark brown discoloration of the skin

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

In the U.S.

• Demulen 1/35
• Demulen 1/50
• Kelnor 1/35
• Kelnor 1/35-28
• Zovia 1/35e
• Zovia 1/50e

Available Dosage Forms:

• Tablet

Therapeutic Class: Contraceptive

Pharmacologic Class: Estrogen

It is very important that you use this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

To make using oral contraceptives as safe and reliable as possible, you should understand how and when to take them and what effects may be expected.

This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

When you begin using this medicine, your body will require at least 7 days to adjust before a pregnancy will be prevented. Use a second form of contraception, such as a condom, spermicide, or diaphragm, for the first 7 days of your first cycle of pills.

Take this medicine at the same time each day. Birth control pills work best when no more than 24 hours pass between doses.

Do not skip or delay taking your pill by more than 24 hours. If you miss a dose, you could get pregnant. Ask your doctor for ways to help you remember to take your pills or about using another method of birth control.

You may feel sick or nauseated, especially during the first few months that you take this medicine. If your nausea is continuous and does not go away, call your doctor.

Use another form of birth control if you vomit or have diarrhea after taking the pills until you check with your doctor.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

Your doctor may ask you to begin your dose on the first day of your menstrual period (called Day 1 start) or on the first Sunday after your menstrual period starts (called Sunday start). When you begin on a certain day it is important that you follow that schedule, even if you miss a dose. Do not change your schedule on your own. If the schedule that you use is not convenient, talk with your doctor about changing it. For a Sunday start, you need to use another form of birth control (eg, condom, diaphragm, spermicide) for the first 7 days.

You should begin your next and all subsequent 28-day regimens of therapy on the same day of the week as the first regimen began and follow the same schedule.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):For contraception (to prevent pregnancy): Adults and teenagers—One light yellow tablet (active) taken at the same time each day for 21 consecutive days followed by one white (inert) tablet daily for 7 days per menstrual cycle. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

This medicine has specific patient instructions on what to do if you miss a dose. Read and follow these instructions carefully and call your doctor if you have any questions.

• If you miss one active pill: Take it as soon as you can, then take your next pill at your regular schedule.
• If you miss two active pills in week 1 or 2: Take two pills as soon as you can and two more pills the next day. Continue taking one pill a day until you finish the pack. Use a second form of birth control (eg, condom, spermicide) for 7 days after you miss a dose.
• If you miss two active pills in week 3, or you miss three or more active pills in a row in weeks 1, 2, or 3: Day 1 start: Throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack that same day. Use a second form of birth control (eg, condom, spermicide) for 7 days after you miss a dose. Sunday start: Continue taking one pill a day until Sunday, then throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack that same day. Use a second form of birth control (eg, condom, spermicide) for 7 days after you miss a dose, to prevent pregnancy.
• If you miss any white pills, throw away the missed pills and go back to your regular schedule.

You could have light bleeding or spotting if you do not take a pill on time. The more pills you miss, the more likely you are to have bleeding.

Make sure your doctor knows if you miss your period 2 months in a row, because this could mean that you are pregnant.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.